Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37907904›Full record

ArticlePopulation health metrics2023

Constructing synthetic populations in the age of big data.

Mioara A Nicolaie, Koen Füssenich, Caroline Ameling, Hendriek C Boshuizen

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Population health metrics, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Mioara A NicolaieCentre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment), P.O. Box 1, Mailbox 86, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, The Netherlands. alina.nicolaie@rivm.nl.
Koen FüssenichCapaciteit Orgaan (Advisory Committee on Medical Manpower Planning), Mercatorlaan 1200, 3525 BL, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Caroline AmelingCentre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment), P.O. Box 1, Mailbox 86, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
Hendriek C BoshuizenCentre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment), P.O. Box 1, Mailbox 86, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, The Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTo develop public health intervention models using micro-simulations, extensive personal information about inhabitants is needed, such as socio-demographic, economic and health figures. Confidentiality is an essential characteristic of such data, while the data should reflect realistic scenarios. Collection of such data is possible only in secured environments and not directly available for open-source micro-simulation models. The aim of this paper is to illustrate a method of construction of synthetic data by predicting individual features through models based on confidential data on health and socio-economic determinants of the entire Dutch population.

methodsAdministrative records and health registry data were linked to socio-economic characteristics and self-reported lifestyle factors. For the entire Dutch population (n = 16,778,708), all socio-demographic information except lifestyle factors was available. Lifestyle factors were available from the 2012 Dutch Health Monitor (n = 370,835). Regression model was used to sequentially predict individual features.

resultsThe synthetic population resembles the original confidential population. Features predicted in the first stages of the sequential procedure are virtually similar to those in the original population, while those predicted in later stages of the sequential procedure carry the accumulation of limitations furthered by data quality and previously modelled features.

conclusionsBy combining socio-demographic, economic, health and lifestyle related data at individual level on a large scale, our method provides us with a powerful tool to construct a synthetic population of good quality and with no confidentiality issues.

Indexed as

Big DataLife StyleHumansDisclosure riskSynthetic population

Identifiers

PMID37907904
PMCPMC10617102

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.