Models coupling behaviour and disease as two unique but interacting contagions have existed since the mid 2000s. In these coupled contagion models, behaviour is typically treated as a 'simple contagion'. However, the means of behaviour spread may in fact be more complex. We develop a family of disease-behaviour coupled contagion compartmental models in order to examine the effect of behavioural contagion type on disease-behaviour dynamics. Coupled contagion models treating behaviour as a simple contagion and a complex contagion are investigated, showing that behavioural contagion type can have a significant impact on dynamics. We find that a simple contagion behaviour leads to simple dynamics, while a complex contagion behaviour supports complex dynamics with the possibility of bistability and periodic orbits.
Keywords: Mathematical epidemiology; behaviour; bistability; compartmental model; coupled contagion; periodic orbits.