Health data? Ethnicity data? Do we need bigger areas?

Posted by Nick Stripe on December 6th 2006

I want to concentrate this post on one of the topics in the survey: whether there should be an Upper Layer of SOAs, or a layer in any future geography that contains 25,000 - 40,000 people.

I've picked up on a potential area of confusion here from early survey responses.  Some of you have pointed out that you can create your own customised areas from the layers below.  This is true.  But you can only aggregate the data that's already available to you.  

The benefit of having an 'Upper Layer' is that it may enable the release of data that you can't currently get for areas smaller than local authority districts.  I'm thinking about Neighbourhood Statistics now, not the Census.  Data that is too low incidence, or potentially too disclosive to release for Lower or Middle Layer SOAs, or wards, or any other small area geography.  Datasets related to topics like illness and mortality, or ethnicity etc.

 Is there a demand?  How great would the benefits be?  Or is it unnecessary and would it merely add more confusion?

 

add new comment

"Upper" Layer SOAs

Posted by Anonymous (not verified) on 26/01/2007 - 12:38

40,000 would be half my district so not much more useful than the district profile.

Here residence based income is at least as important was workplace.

reply

Ethnicity

Posted by Carole Adebayo (not verified) on 20/12/2006 - 11:14

Demand for Ethnicity Health Data at small area level in Liverpool is quite a lot. At Liverpool PCT we want to put a profile together on ethnicity health but we keep on having to refer to national figures. It would be brilliant if datasets could be produced at SOAs. Its long over due.

reply

data

Posted by Pam Sutherland (not verified) on 19/12/2006 - 16:27

Although I appreciate the first two comments I think they underestimate the interest in local data, whether it be related to health or other topics. Small rural areas face specific health hazards which can only be identified as local statistics are maintained. Once these have been identified specific causes may be identified and removed. Villagers who travel to either of nearest surgeries may not have such issues picked up unless data is collated and analysed appropriately.

reply

Workplace Population Data

Posted by Nick Rogers (not verified) on 07/12/2006 - 11:57

Workplace Population Data is the 'gold standard' for Development Economists. We happily forego detail at small area in order to get detailed SIC and SOC data at higher geographies. Nick Stripe's comment about disclosure strikes a real chord. Given that SuperCubes are an expected deliverable for the 2011 output may I suggest that a methodolgy is developed to enable data at higher level geographies but to automatically kill any disclosive requests from the cube at disclosive small geographies.

reply

Re - SuperCubes

Posted by Nick Stripe on 08/12/2006 - 12:16

Slightly off track, but I thought it was worth a quick clarification about what could be thought of as an expected deliverable for 2011 output. ONS is aiming to provide users with the facility for generating user defined tables. Methods for achieving this will be investigated over the next couple of years. Rules to limit the creation of tables that would contravene disclosure thresholds will need to be integral to table building software.

reply