| Abstract | Epidemiological game theory models assume that individuals are selfish and make decisions that maximize their personal utilities. Contrary to this fundamental assumption, our psychological study shows that altruism plays an important role in the decision to receive influenza vaccination. We parameterize an epidemiological game theoretic model of influenza vaccination with questionnaire data on actual perceptions of influenza and its vaccine that takes into account the influence of altruism. We find that this altruism has a dramatic impact on the model predictions. Altruism shifts community vaccination away from the Nash equilibrium and towards the utilitarian strategy, with reduced morbidity and mortality. We determine the benefit that community interventions that emphasize benefit to others of one’s vaccination could have in helping to achieve optimal community vaccination. |
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