COHDMAP phase 2 - a pragmatic local approach

Some of the recommendations of COHDMAP phase 1 involve action at national level. However COHDMAP phase 2 aims to develop a methodology for estimating population characteristics at a local level within the constraints of current realities. In summary, our approach is as follows:

Project brief

We drafted our project brief (47.7KB) with 4 key objectives:

1. to review local data sources and, as far as possible, update 2001 census data to facilitate estimates of current populations for Coventry and Leicester including ethnic characteristics
2. to identify differences in health conditions and access to treatment amongst different ethnic and faith groups including, if possible, reference to Muslim communities to develop a methodology (for the above) that may facilitate or permit roll out to other cities to identify ways of improving methods for collecting and managing data that will enable the production of more reliable population and health inequality estimates in the future. 

We discussed the draft brief with officers from Coventry and Leicester City Councils and Primary Care Trusts and formed a Steering group.

Selecting the key data sources and areas of focus

• In discussion with the local officers we selected two areas in each city for detailed examination (in addition to our examination of city-wide data). The areas chosen are those which are known to have experienced significant change in recent years.
• Based on the recommendations of COHDMAP phase 1 and an examination of data availability in the two cities (and the selected small areas), we selected those sources of hard data that appeared to offer the best means of estimating population change. The sources chosen are: 2001 census populations by 5 year cohorts, sex and ethnic composition at city level and for selected small areas, PLASC (annual schools survey) data, GP registrations, Births and Deaths, National insurance registrations, Child benefits, benefits and pensions data, Worker registrations and Housing applications.
• Work is currently underway to collect these data and to use it as the basis for estimating population change at city-wide and local area levels. We will compare our local area estimates with the city-wide estimates using the Index of Multiple deprivation as an indicator of comparative rates of change.

Qualitative data

We are supplementing the use of published data with locally derived "soft" data. In Coventry we are capturing this data through a series of Key informant interviews (face to face and telephone interviews) whilst in Leicester we are holding a series of focus groups with people living and/or working in the selected small areas.

Current progress

Progress has been slower than expected for two main reasons

1. In both cities, responsibility for data sources is dispersed over a range of different agencies and departments so the task of bringing together the relevant data is more laborious than anticipated
2. Networks for engaging with new migrants are far less well developed than those for the indigenous population and longer term migrant groups.

It is hoped that the process of doing this work will highlight ways of improving processes for data sharing and management and for engaging with new migrant groups.