American Journal of Epidemiology Advance Access originally published online on May 13, 2008
American Journal of Epidemiology 2008 168(1):9-12; doi:10.1093/aje/kwn117
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Invited Commentary: Rescuing Robinson Crusoe
From the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Correspondence to Dr. J. Michael Oakes, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota, 1300 South Second Street, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55454 (e-mail: oakes007{at}umn.edu).
Received for publication March 15, 2008. Accepted for publication March 19, 2008.
Estimating the independent effect of "place" on health outcomes has proven quite difficult. In this issue of the Journal, Auchincloss and Diez Roux contribute a lucid introduction to agent-based simulation models and argue that they may be a fruitful alternative to current approaches to the problem. Insofar as conceptual understanding must precede empirical investigation, this author agrees. Given the obvious shortcoming of pure simulations, the key benefit of agent-based models lies in their ability to alter our thinking and/or theory. Among other things, the approach permits analysts to model (i.e., conceptualize) system dynamics, more realistic social treatment effects, endogenous contexts, and a more congenial image of human behavior.
computer simulation; environment and public health; epidemiologic methods; health behavior; models, theoretical; residence characteristics; systems theory