Is SWARM suitable for epidemiological modelling?,
I am a researcher working on a DFID funded project at the London School of
Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. I am currently selecting the software to
develop a discrete event micro-simulation model and would greatly appreciate
your advice on the suitability of SWARM. The model will simulate the life
histories of Bangladeshi children and sensitivity analysis should then
determine the benefit of vaccination.
We have proposed a 'time-to-event' approach whereby age distributions and random numbers are used to determine the next event for a Susceptible individual e.g. 1st Dose, Infection, Unrelated Death. The age distributions need to be specific to the individual e.g. Male, Urban, Aged 3.2, Immunity Status = 0 etc. Outcomes from events are selected via random numbers and transition probabilities, again dependent on the attributes of the individual. A central calendar then organises the events, working through them and allocating new ones in time order.
The parameters are % Vaccine Coverage, % Vaccine Efficacy and Dose Schedule (time
of 1st, 2nd & 3rd dose).
Do you think SWARM would be appropriate? Do you have any other software
suggestions if not?
Many thanks,
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Andy Clark
Health Services Research Unit