Estimating health over space and time: a review of spatial microsimulation applied to public health

Smith, D. M., Heppenstall, A. and Campbell, M. (2021) Estimating health over space and time: a review of spatial microsimulation applied to public health. J - An Open Access Journal of Multidisciplinary Science, 4(2), pp. 182-192. (doi: 10.3390/j4020015)

Abstract

There is an ongoing demand for data on population health, for reasons of resource allocation, future planning and crucially to address inequalities in health between people and between populations. Although there are regular sources of data at coarse spatial scales, such as countries or large sub-national units such as states, there is often a lack of good quality health data at the local level. One method to develop reliable estimates of population health outcomes is spatial microsimulation, an approach that has its roots in economic studies. Here, we share a review of this method for estimating health in populations, explaining the different approaches available and examples where the method is applied successfully for creating both static and dynamic populations. Recent notable advances in the method that allow uncertainty to be represented are highlighted, along with the evolving approaches to validation that are an ongoing challenge in small-area estimation. The summary serves as a primer for academics new to the area of research as well as an overview for non-academic researchers who consider using these models for policy evaluations.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: Funding: M.C. is funded by the ESRC South Coast Doctoral Training Programme (ES/P000673/1).
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Heppenstall, Professor Alison

Creator Roles

Heppenstall, A.: Writing – original draft, Writing – review and editing

• Authors: Smith, D. M., Heppenstall, A., and Campbell, M.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Urban Studies
• Journal Name: J - An Open Access Journal of Multidisciplinary Science
• ISSN: 2571-8800
• ISSN (Online): 2571-8800
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2021 by the authors.
• First Published: First published in J-An Open Access Journal of Multidisciplinary Science 4:182–192
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a creative commons licence