2018/01/12 by Melissa Tracy, Magdalena Cerdá, Katherine M. Keyes · 14 citations
Decision Sciences · Mathematics · Social Sciences · #COVID-19 epidemiological studies #Health disparities and outcomes #demographic modeling and climate adaptation
paper · pdf · doi:10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040617-014317
openalex publication_date 2018/01/12 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/26
Agent-based modeling is a computational approach in which agents with a specified set of characteristics interact with each other and with their environment according to predefined rules. We review key areas in public health where agent-based modeling has been adopted, including both communicable and noncommunicable disease, health behaviors, and social epidemiology. We also describe the main strengths and limitations of this approach for questions with public health relevance. Finally, we describe both methodologic and substantive future directions that we believe will enhance the value of agent-based modeling for public health. In particular, advances in model validation, comparisons with other causal modeling procedures, and the expansion of the models to consider comorbidity and joint influences more systematically will improve the utility of this approach to inform public health research, practice, and policy.