profiling Archives -

Online Map Shows Local Health Risk

Online Map Shows Local Health Risk: A new map, provided online, allows residents in England and Wales to log on and review their community’s risk of developing a number of conditions, including heart disease, lung cancer and skin cancer such as malignant melanoma. The tool has been developed by Imperial College London – although the researchers stress that it cannot be used to identify the risk to a specific individual.

The Imperial College researchers looked at more than 8,800 wards in England and Wales, each with a population of 6,000, and utilised data from the Office of National Statistics and cancer registries for 1985 through to 2009. This data was then mapped, in a similar way to the way Localise can be used, and shows the impact of regional variances in things such as air pollution, sunshine and pesticides. The figures have also been adjusted to take in to account data relating to age, deprivation and any small sample sizes.

Some wards in Manchester, Leeds and the Wirral were identified as having higher health risks, whilst areas of London, Norfolk and Suffolk performed better in terms of health.

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Online Map Allows Local Health Risk Search - Localise Population Profiling — Online Map Allows Local Health Risk Search

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Dr Anna Hansell, who led the research, noted that environmental factors such as air pollution accounted for between 5-10% of a person’s risk of disease, she stated that this was significant in terms of a population study such as this.

The site provides a number of maps, one of which shows the relative risk of lung disease in females for instance. As can be seen in the map, there are pockets of much higher risk to communities in the North West centered around Liverpool. When compared to a map of particulate matter, this correlation becomes more understandable.

UK Census Data To Move Online

UK Census Data To Move Online: A fortnight ago business users across the UK waited with baited breath as the fate of the 200-year-old census was decided. Fortunately for many, the UK’s statistics authorities have opted against scrapping the data and are instead looking to implement an online questionnaire to replace the traditional paper form.

Britain’s 10-yearly census offers the most accurate and sweeping picture of a nation undergoing profound changes. The latest one, in 2011, revealed a country more populous, less religious and more diverse than ever before.

Prior to the roll-out of the 2011 census, the UK Statistics Authority asked the National Statistician and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to review the future provision of population statistics in England and Wales, to inform the British Government and parliament about the options for the next (2021) census.

On the back of this review the ONS reported that considering an online route or using existing administrative data combined with a ‘rolling’ annual survey conducted among 4% of the population could be a possibility.

Jane Frost, Chief Executive Officer of the Market Research Society (MRS), said:

“While the decision to move the Census to a predominantly online format is consistent with technological developments it is not without its risks. One of the benefits of the Census is that it provides solid evidential data to identify ‘hidden groups’ in society, but these groups won’t necessarily have access to technology…”

While extremely complex, the census can, if used correctly, provide high levels of consumer segmentation, allowing for a greater level of targeting and consequently more relevant marketing for customers, improving the customers experience with a brand or company. This would particularly be the case if 4% of the population were to be surveyed each year, as this would mean that the data was, to some extent, more up to date than simply being correct at the time of the last census.

However, we at Localise must agree to some extent with Jane Frost’s comments, and provision must be made for those groups who may struggle to fill in an online census – for instance, houses without access to the internet. We strongly support the Government’s decision to continue a nationwide survey of the population, as this allows for changes in population make up to be tracked, and also guards against the invisible creation of a ‘hidden-class’ of individuals who are not accounted for within public sector agendas around schooling, healthcare and housing. These people might include those who worked cash in hand jobs and did not have a bank account for instance – people who we would not be able to keep aware of through more traditional channels.

Localise is a regional and sub-regional consumer and customer profiling tool which has the ability to truly understand you customers and target audience, identifying who they are and where they live to levels of detail as precise as a single street.

Localise Announces Partnership With CIPFA

Localise, a local- and regional-level population profiling and segmentation tool developed by DJS Research Ltd, is pleased to announce a partnership agreement with the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA).

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The new tool, which utilises localised census data to create detailed segmentation profiles for populations, can be utilised by both public sector bodies – such as local authorities – and private sector companies such as retailers. It is thought that Localise will be of immediate value to local authorities seeking to rationalise their capital and assets management and cut expenditure on resources which are not currently serving the correct people in the best ways.

In the private sector, applications for the product include targeted marketing campaigns, and detailed local consumer demographics for retailers looking to construct new outlets.

David Brindley, who will lead the Localise initiative within CIPFA Property, championed the tool as a source of good data which is vital to good asset management:

“CIPFA Property has been associated with promoting good asset management for over 13 years and our advisors are acknowledged experts in this area. The use of good data is vital in the decision making process and CIPFA Property is pleased to be working in partnership with Localise to enable Authorities map their assets alongside customer profiling to give a real picture of where services need to be provided.

“This will ensure a more robust decision process can be put in place in respect of Asset Rationalisation.”

Speaking about the partnership with CIPFA, Alasdair Gleed – the Research Director who will be heading up the project at DJS Research Ltd – had the following to say:

“That an organisation such as CIPFA understands the value of Localise is a huge vindication of the time and resources we have put in to the technique. For a long time, we have worked with numerous clients who appreciate the value that profiling can have but are frustrated by the limitations of tools which currently exist to do this. Localise solves these problems and should lead to a far more accurate, and thus more useable, set of profiling data for local areas.”

For more information on Localise please email localise@djsresearch.com or call +44 (0) 1663 767 857.