Awareness tames abrupt transitions in higher-order epidemics

Higher-order interactions can trigger abrupt, unpredictable epidemics, while individual awareness offers a potential line of defense. However, how these two forces coevolve to shape epidemic outcomes remains largely unexplored. Here, we bridge this gap by proposing a coevolutionary framework where disease spreads through both pairwise and group interactions on simplicial complexes, while individual risk perception dynamically modulates transmission probabilities. To unravel the system’s complex behavior, we develop a novel degree-weighted dimension-reduction approach that condenses the high-dimensional dynamics into a single, accurate effective equation. Our analysis reveals a powerful counterbalance: while higher-order mechanisms lower the epidemic invasion threshold, risk perception significantly raises it. Most strikingly, we find that sufficiently strong awareness can fundamentally alter the nature of the epidemic transition, eliminating the catastrophic discontinuous phase transition typical of higher-order systems and restoring a smooth, continuous response. This conclusion holds across both artificial and real-world networks. These results demonstrate that awareness is not merely a secondary factor but a critical control lever that can tame the inherent instability of higher-order contagion. Our work provides a quantitative framework for designing more effective, behavior-aware interventions to mitigate the risk of sudden outbreaks in our increasingly complex social world.