Abstract
This paper presents applied geographical research based on a spatial microsimulation model, SimAlba, aimed at estimating geographically sensitive health variables in Scotland. SimAlba has been developed in order to answer a variety of “what-if” policy questions pertaining to health policy in Scotland. Using the SimAlba model, it is possible to simulate the distributions of previously unknown variables at the small area level such as smoking, alcohol consumption, mental well-being, and obesity. The SimAlba microdataset has been created by combining Scottish Health Survey and Census data using a deterministic reweighting spatial microsimulation algorithm developed for this purpose. The paper presents SimAlba outputs for Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow, and examines the spatial distribution of the simulated variables for small geographical areas in Glasgow as well as the effects on individuals of different policy scenario outcomes. In simulating previously unknown spatial data, a wealth of new perspectives can be examined and explored. This paper explores a small set of those potential avenues of research and shows the power of spatial microsimulation modeling in an urban context.
Highlights
SimAlba is a spatial microsimulation model, which has been used to estimate geographically sensitive health variables for Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow
SimAlba has been developed in order to answer a variety of “what-if ” policy questions pertaining to health policy in Scotland, with geography included as a key element
A comprehensive dataset, such as that generated by SimAlba that provides data on health-related behaviors for individuals and small areas in Scotland, has previously not been available
Summary
SimAlba is a spatial microsimulation model, which has been used to estimate geographically sensitive health variables for Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow. Spatial microsimulation is a well-established method in geography for public policy analysis in a wide range of domains [1, 2]. Building on these efforts, SimAlba has been developed in order to answer a variety of “what-if ” policy questions pertaining to health policy in Scotland. The use of spatial microsimulation models [3,4,5,6,7,8] provide a new perspective on existing data sources and contribute to the relevant academic literature as well as applied health policy analysis efforts offering an opportunity to estimate previously unknown data as well as to analyze both individuals and areas simultaneously
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