Using geo-demographic segmentation tools to help inform health insight planning

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Using geo-demographic segmentation tools to help
inform health insight planning
Simon Orange, Public Health Information Analyst
Yorkshire and Humber Public Health Observatory,
spo500_at_york.ac.uk 01904 328225
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Segmentation

• A process of looking at the audience or market
  and seeking to identify distinct sub-groups
  (segments) that may have similar needs, attitudes
  or behaviours.
• The aim of any segmentation should be to define a
  small number of groups so that
• all members of a particular group are as similar
  to each other as possible
• they are as different from the other groups as
  possible

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Types of Segmentation

• Demographic - Divides people into groups based
  on variables such as age, gender, race.
• Geographic - Divides people into groups based
  on different geographical units such as
  regions.
• Geo-demographic - Combines demographics and
  geography into a segmentation. Identify
  groups of small geographic areas that have
  similar demographic profiles.
• Behavioural - Divides people into groups based
  on the way they respond to, use, or know of a
  product or service.

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Geodemographics

• Geodemographics has been defined as the analysis
  of people by where they live.
• Use of geography to help us draw general
  conclusions about the characteristics and
  behaviours of the people who live in them.
• Similar people live in similar places, do similar
  things and have similar lifestyles birds of a
  feather flock together.

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Geodemographic Segmentation
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Tool Creation
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Tools Available
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Segmentation Profiles
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Example of Profiling cervical screening for
Yorkshire and the Humber
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Example of Profiling cervical screening for
Bradford
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Segmentation Profiles
Baseline Profile
Target Profile
Struggling families
Struggling families
Secure Families
Burdened Singles
Source HES data
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Mapping
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Health Intelligence Practice Profiles
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Identifying areas with excess expected
prevalence/incidence
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Comparison
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How do they add value?

• Population health profiling
• Understanding the characteristics of small
  geographical areas.
• Mapping and visualisation.
• Targeting health interventions by identifying
  areas with excess expected prevalence/incidence
  etc.
• Measurement of health inequalities by
• Explaining variation in health determinants,
  outcomes or services.
• Providing a more granular measure of health
  inequality.
• Social marketing and communications
• Support data linkage, and non-disclosable data
  sharing.
• As a base for generating additional insight - on
  top of the off-the-shelf descriptions.

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What geodemographics can not tell us.

• Birds of a feather may not always flock together
• Census 2001 data dependent
• Analysis of the profiles is usually based on
  probabilities, rather than hard data.
• Not really intended to be used as a trend
  monitoring tool. Cannot quickly detect change
• Geodemographics in themselves do not provide the
  answer. They are simply one of a range of tools
  and approaches that can be used to generate
  insight and health intelligence to support social
  marketing decisions.

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Simon Orange, Public Health Information Analyst
Yorkshire and Humber Public Health Observatory,
spo500_at_york.ac.uk 01904 328225