613 – Practical Applications of Small Area Estimation
A Multinomial and a Uniform Unit-Level Model for Small Area Estimation
Donald Malec
National Center for Health Statistics
The development and evaluation of a hierarchical multinomial model is presented. By limiting this type of model to include constraints at a higher geographic level, many of the design-based characteristics retained by a multinomial may still be retained while borrowing strength from a higher geographic-level model. An evaluation using data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) to make estimates of access to care for the counties in States that border Mexico is presented. Here, the model uses sample segments as the unit-level and accounts for the differential selection of segments within PSU strata. Covariates available from the U.S. Census Bureau’s �American Factfinder� are used in the county-level model. In addition, a brief evaluation of using a uniform model at the unit level, instead of a multinomial model, is made.