Individual-oriented modeling and simulation -: An approach to support epidemiological research

This paper introduces an attempt, how individual-oriented modeling and simulation can support the design, realization, and analysis of epidemiological studies. The main goal of making an attempt to integrate these techniques within epidemilogical research is to reduce expenditures in costs and time for a study as well as to improve the analysis and interpretation of collected data. This is motivated by the fact that individual-oriented models can represent detailed descriptions of cause and effect relationships within temporal and heterogeneous spatial models of populations, with respect to the behavior of each individual. We give a short introduction into individual-oriented modeling and simulation, currently applied in conservation and population biology. Moreover, we present well-founded indicates, why individual-oriented modeling seems to be an adequate method to examine the coherences in cause and effect within populations which interact with (or are affected by) their environment. After this, one possible way how to integrate individual-oriented modeling and simulation into the course of epidemiological studies is suggested. Finally, a case-study of a simple lead poisoning model allows a more detailed view onto an individual-oriented model and its simulation.