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Wang KH, Hendrickson ZM, Miller ML, Abel EA, Skanderson M, Erdos J, Womack JA, Brandt CA, Desai M, Han L. Leveraging Electronic Health Records to Assess Residential Mobility Among Veterans in the Veterans Health Administration. Med Care 2024; 62:458-463. [PMID: 38848139 DOI: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000002017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Residential mobility, or a change in residence, can influence health care utilization and outcomes. Health systems can leverage their patients' residential addresses stored in their electronic health records (EHRs) to better understand the relationships among patients' residences, mobility, and health. The Veteran Health Administration (VHA), with a unique nationwide network of health care systems and integrated EHR, holds greater potential for examining these relationships. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional analysis to examine the association of sociodemographics, clinical conditions, and residential mobility. We defined residential mobility by the number of VHA EHR residential addresses identified for each patient in a 1-year period (1/1-12/31/2018), with 2 different addresses indicating one move. We used generalized logistic regression to model the relationship between a priori selected correlates and residential mobility as a multinomial outcome (0, 1, ≥2 moves). RESULTS In our sample, 84.4% (n=3,803,475) veterans had no move, 13.0% (n=587,765) had 1 move, and 2.6% (n=117,680) had ≥2 moves. In the multivariable analyses, women had greater odds of moving [aOR=1.11 (95% CI: 1.10,1.12) 1 move; 1.27 (1.25,1.30) ≥2 moves] than men. Veterans with substance use disorders also had greater odds of moving [aOR=1.26 (1.24,1.28) 1 move; 1.77 (1.72,1.81) ≥2 moves]. DISCUSSION Our study suggests about 16% of veterans seen at VHA had at least 1 residential move in 2018. VHA data can be a resource to examine relationships between place, residential mobility, and health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Erica A Abel
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT
| | | | - Joseph Erdos
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT
| | - Julie A Womack
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT
- Yale School of Nursing, Orange, CT
| | - Cynthia A Brandt
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT
| | - Mayur Desai
- Yale University School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven
| | - Ling Han
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven
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2
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Abad S, Badilla P, Marshall AT, Smith C, Tsui B, Cardenas-Iniguez C, Herting MM. Lifetime residential history collection and processing for environmental data linkages in the ABCD study. Health Place 2024; 87:103238. [PMID: 38677137 PMCID: PMC11132178 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2024.103238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
By using geospatial information such as participants' residential history along with external datasets of environmental exposures, ongoing studies can enrich their cohorts to investigate the role of the environment on brain-behavior health outcomes. However, challenges may arise if clear guidance and key quality control steps are not taken at the outset of data collection of residential information. Here, we detail the protocol development aimed at improving the collection of lifetime residential address information from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. This protocol generates a workflow for minimizing gaps in residential information, improving data collection processes, and reducing misclassification error in exposure estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shermaine Abad
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, USA
| | - Paola Badilla
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, USA
| | - Andrew T Marshall
- Department of Pediatrics (Division of Neurology), Children's Hospital Los Angeles, USA
| | - Calen Smith
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, USA
| | - Brandon Tsui
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, USA
| | - Carlos Cardenas-Iniguez
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, USA
| | - Megan M Herting
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, USA.
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Quinteros ME, Blazquez C, Rosas F, Ayala S, García XMO, Delgado-Saborit JM, Harrison RM, Ruiz-Rudolph P, Yohannessen K. Quality of automatic geocoding tools: a study using addresses from hospital record files in Temuco, Chile. CAD SAUDE PUBLICA 2022; 38:e00288920. [DOI: 10.1590/0102-311x00288920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract: Automatic geocoding methods have become popular in recent years, facilitating the study of the association between health outcomes and the place of living. However, rather few studies have evaluated geocoding quality, with most of them being performed in the US and Europe. This article aims to compare the quality of three automatic online geocoding tools against a reference method. A subsample of 300 handwritten addresses from hospital records was geocoded using Bing, Google Earth, and Google Maps. Match rates were higher (> 80%) for Google Maps and Google Earth compared with Bing. However, the accuracy of the addresses was better for Bing with a larger proportion (> 70%) of addresses with positional errors below 20m. Generally, performance did not vary for each method for different socioeconomic status. Overall, the methods showed an acceptable, but heterogeneous performance, which may be a warning against the use of automatic methods without assessing quality in other municipalities, particularly in Chile and Latin America.
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4
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Kalla MI, Lahmar B, Geullouh S, Kalla M. Health geo-governance to assess the vulnerability of Batna, Algeria to COVID-19: the role of GIS in the fight against a pandemic. GEOJOURNAL 2022; 87:3607-3620. [PMID: 34149148 PMCID: PMC8197678 DOI: 10.1007/s10708-021-10449-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The health systems in many countries are still unable to control the evolution and persistence of the COVID-19 pandemic despite the large mobilisation of national resources. International attention has focussed on finding a cure, and preventive measures and national and international strategies to be adopted and implemented with regard to other future pandemics have been neglected despite their predictability and high probability of occurrence. This work aims to anticipate a reading on experience feedback in light of the current pandemic situation, and to identify the main spatial elements of vulnerability in Batna, Algeria, which seems to control the ability of an urban area to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. We used a digital model based on a multi-criteria approach implemented in a geo-decisional GIS database to serve as a decision support tool for dealing with an epidemiological situation as a preventive or curative action. The results from the model seem to adequately reflect the reality of confirmed incidents in Batna. In addition, the results of the analysis of the spatiotemporal evolution of the virus clearly confirm that the urban sectors characterised by high vulnerability are those that have recorded an increasing number of confirmed COVID-19 incidents since the start of the epidemic until December 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Issam Kalla
- Laboratory of Natural Hazards and Spatial Planning (LRNAT), University of Batna 2, 53, Route de Constantine, Fesdis, 05078 Batna, Algeria
| | - Belkacem Lahmar
- Laboratory of Natural Hazards and Spatial Planning (LRNAT), University of Batna 2, 53, Route de Constantine, Fesdis, 05078 Batna, Algeria
| | - Sami Geullouh
- Laboratory of Natural Hazards and Spatial Planning (LRNAT), University of Batna 2, 53, Route de Constantine, Fesdis, 05078 Batna, Algeria
| | - Mahdi Kalla
- Laboratory of Natural Hazards and Spatial Planning (LRNAT), University of Batna 2, 53, Route de Constantine, Fesdis, 05078 Batna, Algeria
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5
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Automatic Identification of Addresses: A Systematic Literature Review. ISPRS INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GEO-INFORMATION 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/ijgi11010011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Address matching continues to play a central role at various levels, through geocoding and data integration from different sources, with a view to promote activities such as urban planning, location-based services, and the construction of databases like those used in census operations. However, the task of address matching continues to face several challenges, such as non-standard or incomplete address records or addresses written in more complex languages. In order to better understand how current limitations can be overcome, this paper conducted a systematic literature review focused on automated approaches to address matching and their evolution across time. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed, resulting in a final set of 41 papers published between 2002 and 2021, the great majority of which are after 2017, with Chinese authors leading the way. The main findings revealed a consistent move from more traditional approaches to deep learning methods based on semantics, encoder-decoder architectures, and attention mechanisms, as well as the very recent adoption of hybrid approaches making an increased use of spatial constraints and entities. The adoption of evolutionary-based approaches and privacy preserving methods stand as some of the research gaps to address in future studies.
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Torok M, Konings P, Passioura J, Chen NA, Hewett M, Phillips M, Burnett A, Shand F, Christensen H. Spatial Errors in Automated Geocoding of Incident Locations in Australian Suicide Mortality Data. Epidemiology 2021; 32:896-903. [PMID: 34310446 DOI: 10.1097/ede.0000000000001403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is increasing interest in the spatial analysis of suicide data to identify high-risk (often public) locations likely to benefit from access restriction measures. The identification of such locations, however, relies on accurately geocoded data. This study aims to examine the extent to which common completeness and positional spatial errors are present in suicide data due to the underlying geocoding process. METHODS Using Australian suicide mortality data from the National Coronial Information System for the period of 2008-2017, we compared the custodian automated geocoding process to an alternate multiphase process. Descriptive and kernel density cluster analyses were conducted to ascertain data completeness (address matching rates) and positional accuracy (distance revised) differences between the two datasets. RESULTS The alternate geocoding process initially improved address matching from 67.8% in the custodian dataset to 78.4%. Additional manual identification of nonaddress features (such as cliffs or bridges) improved overall match rates to 94.6%. Nearly half (49.2%) of nonresidential suicide locations were revised more than 1,000 m from data custodian coordinates. Spatial misattribution rates were greatest at the smallest levels of geography. Kernel density maps showed clear misidentification of hotspots relying solely on autogeocoded data. CONCLUSION Suicide incidents that occur at nonresidential addresses are being erroneously geocoded to centralized fall-back locations in autogeocoding processes, which can lead to misidentification of suicide clusters. Our findings provide insights toward defining the nature of the problem and refining geocoding processes, so that suicide data can be used reliably for the detection of suicide hotspots. See video abstract at, http://links.lww.com/EDE/B862.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Torok
- From the Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Paul Konings
- National Centre for Geographic Resources & Analysis in Primary Health Care, Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Jason Passioura
- National Centre for Geographic Resources & Analysis in Primary Health Care, Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Nicole A Chen
- Orygen Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Michael Hewett
- National Centre for Geographic Resources & Analysis in Primary Health Care, Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Matthew Phillips
- From the Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Alexander Burnett
- From the Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Fiona Shand
- From the Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Helen Christensen
- From the Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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7
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Uncertainty in geospatial health: challenges and opportunities ahead. Ann Epidemiol 2021; 65:15-30. [PMID: 34656750 DOI: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2021.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Uncertainty is not always well captured, understood, or modeled properly, and can bias the robustness of complex relationships, such as the association between the environment and public health through exposure, estimates of geographic accessibility and cluster detection, to name a few. METHODS We review current challenges and future opportunities as geospatial data and analyses are applied to the field of public health. We are particularly interested in the sources of uncertainty in geospatial data and how this uncertainty may propagate in spatial analysis. RESULTS We present opportunities to reduce the magnitude and impact of uncertainty. Specifically, we focus on (1) the use of multiple reference data sources to reduce geocoding errors, (2) the validity of online geocoders and how confidentiality (e.g., HIPAA) may be breached, (3) use of multiple reference data sources to reduce geocoding errors, (4) the impact of geoimputation techniques on travel estimates, (5) residential mobility and how it affects accessibility metrics and clustering, and (6) modeling errors in the American Community Survey. Our paper discusses how to communicate spatial and spatiotemporal uncertainty, and high-performance computing to conduct large amounts of simulations to ultimately increase statistical robustness for studies in public health. CONCLUSIONS Our paper contributes to recent efforts to fill in knowledge gaps at the intersection of spatial uncertainty and public health.
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Folch DC, Fowler CS, Mikaelian L. Day time, night time, over time: geographic and temporal uncertainty when linking event and contextual data. Environ Health 2021; 20:51. [PMID: 33947388 PMCID: PMC8094478 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-021-00734-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The growth of geolocated data has opened the door to a wealth of new research opportunities in the health fields. One avenue of particular interest is the relationship between the spaces where people spend time and their health outcomes. This research model typically intersects individual data collected on a specific cohort with publicly available socioeconomic or environmental aggregate data. In spatial terms: individuals are represented as points on map at a particular time, and context is represented as polygons containing aggregated or modeled data from sampled observations. Uncertainty abounds in these kinds of complex representations. METHODS We present four sensitivity analysis approaches that interrogate the stability of spatial and temporal relationships between point and polygon data. Positional accuracy assesses the significance of assigning the point to the correct polygon. Neighborhood size investigates how the size of the context assumed to be relevant impacts observed results. Life course considers the impact of variation in contextual effects over time. Time of day recognizes that most people occupy different spaces throughout the day, and that exposure is not simply a function residential location. We use eight years of point data from a longitudinal study of children living in rural Pennsylvania and North Carolina and eight years of air pollution and population data presented at 0.5 mile (0.805 km) grid cells. We first identify the challenges faced for research attempting to match individual outcomes to contextual effects, then present methods for estimating the effect this uncertainty could introduce into an analysis and finally contextualize these measures as part of a larger framework on uncertainty analysis. RESULTS Spatial and temporal uncertainty is highly variable across the children within our cohort and the population in general. For our test datasets, we find greater uncertainty over the life course than in positional accuracy and neighborhood size. Time of day uncertainty is relatively low for these children. CONCLUSIONS Spatial and temporal uncertainty should be considered for each individual in a study since the magnitude can vary considerably across observations. The underlying assumptions driving the source data play an important role in the level of measured uncertainty.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C. Folch
- Department of Geography, Planning and Recreation, Northern Arizona University, PO Box 15015, Flagstaff, AZ 86011 USA
| | - Christopher S. Fowler
- Department of Geography, Penn State University, 302 Walker Building, University Park, PA 16801 USA
| | - Levon Mikaelian
- Department of Geography, Florida State University, PO Box 3062190, Tallahassee, FL 32306 USA
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9
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Spatial Heterogeneity in Positional Errors: A Comparison of Two Residential Geocoding Efforts in the Agricultural Health Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18041637. [PMID: 33572119 PMCID: PMC7915413 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18041637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Geocoding is a powerful tool for environmental exposure assessments that rely on spatial databases. Geocoding processes, locators, and reference datasets have improved over time; however, improvements have not been well-characterized. Enrollment addresses for the Agricultural Health Study, a cohort of pesticide applicators and their spouses in Iowa (IA) and North Carolina (NC), were geocoded in 2012–2016 and then again in 2019. We calculated distances between geocodes in the two periods. For a subset, we computed positional errors using “gold standard” rooftop coordinates (IA; N = 3566) or Global Positioning Systems (GPS) (IA and NC; N = 1258) and compared errors between periods. We used linear regression to model the change in positional error between time periods (improvement) by rural status and population density, and we used spatial relative risk functions to identify areas with significant improvement. Median improvement between time periods in IA was 41 m (interquartile range, IQR: −2 to 168) and 9 m (IQR: −80 to 133) based on rooftop coordinates and GPS, respectively. Median improvement in NC was 42 m (IQR: −1 to 109 m) based on GPS. Positional error was greater in rural and low-density areas compared to in towns and more densely populated areas. Areas of significant improvement in accuracy were identified and mapped across both states. Our findings underscore the importance of evaluating determinants and spatial distributions of errors in geocodes used in environmental epidemiology studies.
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10
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Impact of residential mobility on estimated environmental exposures in a prospective cohort of older women. Environ Epidemiol 2020; 4:e110. [PMID: 33154988 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Longitudinal studies of environmental hazards often rely on exposure estimated at the participant's enrollment residence. This could lead to exposure misclassification if participants move over time. Methods We evaluated residential mobility in the Iowa Women's Health Study (age 55-69 years) over 19 years of follow-up (1986-2004). We assessed several environmental exposures of varying spatial scales at enrollment and follow-up addresses. Exposures included average nitrate concentrations in public water supplies, percent of agricultural land (row crops and pasture/hay) within 750 m, and the presence of concentrated animal feeding operations within 5 km. In comparison to gold standard duration-based exposures averaged across all residences, we evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of exposure metrics and attenuation bias for a hypothetical nested case-control study of cancer, which assumed participants did not move from their enrollment residence. Results Among 41,650 participants, 32% moved at least once during follow-up. Mobility was predicted by working outside the home, being a former/current smoker, having a higher education level, using a public drinking water supply, and town size of previous residence. Compared with duration-based exposures, the sensitivity and specificity of exposures at enrollment ranged from 94% to 99% and 97% to 99%, respectively. A hypothetical true odds ratio of 2.0 was attenuated 8% for nitrate, 9%-10% for agricultural land, and 6% for concentrated animal feeding operation exposures. Conclusions Overall, we found low rates of mobility and mobility-related exposure misclassification in the Iowa Women's Health Study. Misclassification and attenuation of hypothetical risk estimates differed by spatial variability and exposure prevalence.
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11
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Kinnee EJ, Tripathy S, Schinasi L, Shmool JLC, Sheffield PE, Holguin F, Clougherty JE. Geocoding Error, Spatial Uncertainty, and Implications for Exposure Assessment and Environmental Epidemiology. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17165845. [PMID: 32806682 PMCID: PMC7459468 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17165845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Although environmental epidemiology studies often rely on geocoding procedures in the process of assigning spatial exposure estimates, geocoding methods are not commonly reported, nor are consequent errors in exposure assignment explored. Geocoding methods differ in accuracy, however, and, given the increasing refinement of available exposure models for air pollution and other exposures, geocoding error may account for an increasingly larger proportion of exposure misclassification. We used residential addresses from a reasonably large, dense dataset of asthma emergency department visits from all New York City hospitals (n = 21,183; 26.9 addresses/km2), and geocoded each using three methods (Address Point, Street Segment, Parcel Centroid). We compared missingness and spatial patterning therein, quantified distance and directional errors, and quantified impacts on pollution exposure estimates and assignment to Census areas for sociodemographic characterization. Parcel Centroids had the highest overall missingness rate (38.1%, Address Point = 9.6%, Street Segment = 6.1%), and spatial clustering in missingness was significant for all methods, though its spatial patterns differed. Street Segment geocodes had the largest mean distance error (µ = 29.2 (SD = 26.2) m; vs. µ = 15.9 (SD = 17.7) m for Parcel Centroids), and the strongest spatial patterns therein. We found substantial over- and under-estimation of pollution exposures, with greater error for higher pollutant concentrations, but minimal impact on Census area assignment. Finally, we developed surfaces of spatial patterns in errors in order to identify locations in the study area where exposures may be over-/under-estimated. Our observations provide insights towards refining geocoding methods for epidemiology, and suggest methods for quantifying and interpreting geocoding error with respect to exposure misclassification, towards understanding potential impacts on health effect estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen J. Kinnee
- University Center for Social and Urban Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-412-385-5105
| | - Sheila Tripathy
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; (S.T.); (L.S.); (J.E.C.)
| | - Leah Schinasi
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; (S.T.); (L.S.); (J.E.C.)
- Drexel University Urban Health Collaborative (UHC), Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jessie L. C. Shmool
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA;
| | - Perry E. Sheffield
- Environmental Medicine and Public Health and Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA;
| | - Fernando Holguin
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA;
| | - Jane E. Clougherty
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; (S.T.); (L.S.); (J.E.C.)
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12
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Anesetti-Rothermel A, Romberg AR, Willett JG, Kierstead EC, Benson AF, Xiao H, Cuccia AF, Briggs JC, Schillo BA, Hair EC, Vallone DM. The availability of retail tobacco near federally qualified healthcare facilities and addiction treatment centers in New York State. Prev Med Rep 2020; 17:100989. [PMID: 31956471 PMCID: PMC6957849 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2019.100989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Retail tobacco availability near healthcare facilities differs by facility type. Retail tobacco availability near healthcare facilities varies by urban-rural status. Retail tobacco availability may undermine tobacco-free healthcare policies. Reducing availability of retail tobacco near healthcare facilities is warranted.
The effectiveness of tobacco control policies that create smoke-free healthcare facilities and encourage the delivery of tobacco dependence treatment may be undermined by the availability of retail tobacco in the surrounding environments. This study examined the availability of retail tobacco in relation to: federally qualified health centers and look-a-like (FQHC/LAL) healthcare facilities (n = 706) as well as substance abuse and addiction treatment centers (n = 953) across New York State (NYS) in 2018. A statewide tobacco retailer density surface using static-bandwidth kernel density estimation was constructed from geocoded licensed tobacco vendors (n = 21,314). For each healthcare facility, tobacco retailer density (retailers per square mile) was extracted from the underlying NYS density surface. Proximity from each healthcare facility to the nearest tobacco vendor was calculated in walkable miles. Across NYS, tobacco retailer density ranged from 0 to 41.02 retailers per square mile. The availability of retailer tobacco near FQHC/LAL healthcare facilities and substance abuse and addiction treatment centers was higher in metropolitan areas than less urban areas as expected. School-based FQHC/LAL healthcare facilities had higher density than all other FQHC/LAL healthcare facilities types (Mean = 20.82 vs. 17.04, p = 0.0042), while opioid abuse and addiction treatment centers had on average higher density (Mean = 20.42 vs. 9.81, p < 0.0001) and closer proximity to a tobacco vendor (Mean = 0.14 vs. 0.36, p < 0.0001) than other substance abuse and addiction treatment centers. State and local tobacco control retailer reduction policies should be considered to reduce the availability of retail tobacco surrounding these facilities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Elexis C Kierstead
- Truth Initiative Schroeder Institute, Washington, DC, USA.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Adam F Benson
- Truth Initiative Schroeder Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Haijun Xiao
- Truth Initiative Schroeder Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Jodie C Briggs
- Truth Initiative Schroeder Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Elizabeth C Hair
- Truth Initiative Schroeder Institute, Washington, DC, USA.,Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Donna M Vallone
- Truth Initiative Schroeder Institute, Washington, DC, USA.,Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.,College of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA
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13
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Carvalho BGCD, Andrade ACDS, Andrade RGD, Mendes LL, Velasquez-Melendez G, Xavier CC, Proietti FA, Caiaffa WT. Densidade de estabelecimentos que comercializam bebidas alcoólicas na área residencial está associada ao consumo de álcool em adolescentes? REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE EPIDEMIOLOGIA 2020; 23:e200089. [DOI: 10.1590/1980-549720200089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
RESUMO: Objetivos: Investigar a associação entre a densidade de estabelecimentos de venda de bebidas alcoólicas no entorno da residência dos adolescentes e a prevalência de consumo de álcool na vida e atual, ajustado por fatores individuais e familiares. Métodos: As informações provêm da pesquisa domiciliar por amostragem probabilística estratificada e por conglomerados em três estágios (setor censitário, domicílio, adulto e adolescente), realizada em Belo Horizonte, Brasil (Saúde em Beagá, 2008-9) e de fontes oficiais de estabelecimentos que comercializam bebidas alcoólicas, devidamente georreferenciados. O desfecho foi o autorrelato de consumo de álcool na vida e atual pelos adolescentes. A variável de exposição foi a densidade de estabelecimentos definida como número de locais de venda de bebida dentro do buffer de 200 metros da residência dos adolescentes. A associação foi estimada pela regressão de Poisson ajustada por fatores individuais e familiares. Resultados: Participaram 601 adolescentes de 14-17 anos; 53,3% eram homens e 71% tinham renda familiar até cinco salários mínimos. A prevalência de consumo de álcool na vida foi de 57,0% (intervalo de confiança de 95% - IC95% 51,5 - 62,6) e o atual de 11,9% (IC95% 8,7 - 15,0). Na análise multivariada, verificou-se associação significativa entre o consumo atual de bebidas alcoólicas e a densidade de lanchonetes (razão de prevalência - RP = 1,13; IC95% 1,03 - 1,24), bares (RP = 1,21; IC95% 1,05 - 1,38) e restaurantes (RP = 1,11; IC95% 1,02 - 1,21). Interações significativas entre densidade de estabelecimentos com sexo e idade foram encontradas. Conclusão: O consumo atual de álcool pode ser potencializado pela presença de alguns tipos de estabelecimentos localizados no buffer de 200 metros da residência dos adolescentes.
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Sahar L, Foster SL, Sherman RL, Henry KA, Goldberg DW, Stinchcomb DG, Bauer JE. GIScience and cancer: State of the art and trends for cancer surveillance and epidemiology. Cancer 2019; 125:2544-2560. [PMID: 31145834 PMCID: PMC6625915 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.32052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Revised: 06/05/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Maps are well recognized as an effective means of presenting and communicating health data, such as cancer incidence and mortality rates. These data can be linked to geographic features like counties or census tracts and their associated attributes for mapping and analysis. Such visualization and analysis provide insights regarding the geographic distribution of cancer and can be important for advancing effective cancer prevention and control programs. Applying a spatial approach allows users to identify location-based patterns and trends related to risk factors, health outcomes, and population health. Geographic information science (GIScience) is the discipline that applies Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and other spatial concepts and methods in research. This review explores the current state and evolution of GIScience in cancer research by addressing fundamental topics and issues regarding spatial data and analysis that need to be considered. GIScience, along with its health-specific application in the spatial epidemiology of cancer, incorporates multiple geographic perspectives pertaining to the individual, the health care infrastructure, and the environment. Challenges addressing these perspectives and the synergies among them can be explored through GIScience methods and associated technologies as integral parts of epidemiologic research, analysis efforts, and solutions. The authors suggest GIScience is a powerful tool for cancer research, bringing additional context to cancer data analysis and potentially informing decision-making and policy, ultimately aimed at reducing the burden of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liora Sahar
- Geospatial Research, Statistics and Evaluation Center, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Stephanie L. Foster
- Geospatial Research Analysis and Services Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Recinda L. Sherman
- Data Use and Research, North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, Springfield, Illinois
| | - Kevin A. Henry
- Department of Geography and Urban Studies, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Daniel W. Goldberg
- Department of Geography, College of Geosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | | | - Joseph E. Bauer
- Statistics and Evaluation Center, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia
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Ling C, Heck JE, Cockburn M, Liew Z, Marcotte E, Ritz B. Residential mobility in early childhood and the impact on misclassification in pesticide exposures. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 173:212-220. [PMID: 30928851 PMCID: PMC6553500 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.03.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Revised: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2019] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Studies of environmental exposures and childhood cancers that rely on records often only use maternal address at birth or address at cancer diagnosis to assess exposures in early childhood, possibly leading to exposure misclassification and questionable validity due to residential mobility during early childhood. Our objective was to assess patterns and identify factors that may predict residential mobility in early childhood, and examine the impact of mobility on early childhood exposure assessment for agriculturally applied pesticides and childhood cancers in California. We obtained the addresses at diagnosis of all childhood cancer cases born in 1998-2011 and diagnosed at 0-5 years of age (n = 6478) from the California Cancer Registry (CCR), and their birth addresses from linked birth certificates. Controls were randomly selected from California birth records and frequency matched (20:1) to all cases by year of birth. We obtained residential histories from a public-record database LexisNexis for both case (n = 3877 with age at diagnosis 1-5 years) and control (n = 99,262) families. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the socio-demographic factors in relation to residential mobility in early childhood. We employed a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based system to estimate children's first year of life exposures to agriculturally applied pesticides based on birth vs diagnosis address or residential histories based upon Lexis-Nexis Public Records and assessed agreement between exposure measures using Spearman correlations and kappa statistics. Over 20% of case and control children moved in their first year of life, and 55% of children with cancer moved between birth and diagnosis. Older age at diagnosis, younger maternal age, lower maternal education, not having a Hispanic ethnic background, use of public health insurance, and non-metropolitan residence at birth were predictors of higher residential mobility. There was moderate to strong correlation (Spearman correlation = 0.76-0.83) and good agreement (kappa = 0.75-0.81) between the first year of life exposure estimates for agricultural pesticides applied within 2 km of a residence relying on an address at birth or at diagnosis or LexisNexis addresses; this did not differ by outcome status, but agreement decreased with decreasing buffer size, and increasing distance moved or age at diagnosis. These findings suggest that residential addresses collected at one point in time may represent residential history in early childhood to a reasonable extent; nevertheless, they exposure misclassification in the first year of life remains an issue. Also, the highest proportion of women not captured by LexisNexis were Hispanic women born in Mexico and those living in the lowest SES neighborhoods, i.e. possibly those with the higher environmental exposures, as well as younger women and those with less than high school education. Though LexisNexis only captures a sub-population, its data may be useful for augmenting address information and assessing the extent of exposure misclassification when estimating environmental exposures in large record linkage studies. Future research should investigate how to correct for exposure misclassification introduced by residential mobility that is not being captured by records.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenxiao Ling
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Julia E Heck
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Myles Cockburn
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA; Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Zeyan Liew
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, USA; Yale Center for Perinatal, Pediatric, and Environmental Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, USA
| | - Erin Marcotte
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Beate Ritz
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Tee Lewis PG, Chen TY, Chan W, Symanski E. Predictors of residential mobility and its impact on air pollution exposure among children diagnosed with early childhood leukemia. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2019; 29:510-519. [PMID: 30770842 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-019-0126-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Revised: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Epidemiology studies relying on one address to assign exposures over time share common methodological limitations in failing to account for mobility that may introduce potential exposure misclassification. Using Texas birth certificate and cancer registry data, we identified predictors of residential mobility among mothers of children diagnosed with early childhood leukemia in Texas from 1995 to 2011. We used U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Air Toxics Assessment data to estimate residential levels of benzene and 1,3-butadiene based on addresses at birth and diagnosis and applied mixed-effects ordinal logistic regression models to evaluate differences in exposure classification between the two time periods. In total, 55% of children moved from time of birth to diagnosis, although they generally did not move far (median distance moved was 8 km). Predictors of mobility, at delivery, included younger age, being unmarried and living in neighborhoods with high benzene levels, and, at diagnosis, increasing child's age and living in neighborhoods with low poverty rates. We observed that the odds of being assigned to a higher exposure quartile at diagnosis relative to the time of birth decreased by 31% for 1,3-butadiene (OR = 0.69, 95% CI 0.59-0.82) and by 12% for benzene (OR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.75, 1.05).
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Affiliation(s)
- P Grace Tee Lewis
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, 1200 Pressler Street, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Environmental Defense Fund, 301 Congress Avenue, Suite 1300, Austin, TX, 78701, USA
| | - Ting-Yu Chen
- Department of Biostatistics, UTHealth School of Public Health, 1200 Pressler Street, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Wenyaw Chan
- Department of Biostatistics, UTHealth School of Public Health, 1200 Pressler Street, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Elaine Symanski
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, 1200 Pressler Street, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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Gardner BJ, Pedersen JG, Campbell ME, McClay JC. Incorporating a location-based socioeconomic index into a de-identified i2b2 clinical data warehouse. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2019; 26:286-293. [PMID: 30715327 PMCID: PMC6402306 DOI: 10.1093/jamia/ocy172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2018] [Revised: 09/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Clinical research data warehouses are largely populated from information extracted from electronic health records (EHRs). While these data provide information about a patient's medications, laboratory results, diagnoses, and history, her social, economic, and environmental determinants of health are also major contributing factors in readmission, morbidity, and mortality and are often absent or unstructured in the EHR. Details about a patient's socioeconomic status may be found in the U.S. census. To facilitate researching the impacts of socioeconomic status on health outcomes, clinical and socioeconomic data must be linked in a repository in a fashion that supports seamless interrogation of these diverse data elements. This study demonstrates a method for linking clinical and location-based data and querying these data in a de-identified data warehouse using Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside. MATERIALS AND METHODS Patient data were extracted from the EHR at Nebraska Medicine. Socioeconomic variables originated from the 2011-2015 five-year block group estimates from the American Community Survey. Data querying was performed using Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside. All location-based data were truncated to prevent identification of a location with a population <20 000 individuals. RESULTS We successfully linked location-based and clinical data in a de-identified data warehouse and demonstrated its utility with a sample use case. DISCUSSION With location-based data available for querying, research investigating the impact of socioeconomic context on health outcomes is possible. Efforts to improve geocoding can readily be incorporated into this model. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates a means for incorporating and querying census data in a de-identified clinical data warehouse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bret J Gardner
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Jay G Pedersen
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Mary E Campbell
- Department of Sociology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - James C McClay
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
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Troy AR, Bonnell LN, Littenberg B. Relationship Between the Built Environment and Body Mass Index in a Rural Context: A Cross-Sectional Study from Vermont. Cureus 2018; 10:e3040. [PMID: 30258739 PMCID: PMC6153091 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.3040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To evaluate the association between a marker of urban development (commercial building density) and body mass index (BMI) in a predominantly rural context. Methods A cross-sectional analysis of two geocoded datasets from Vermont. The first includes subjects from the Vermont Diabetes Information System (VDIS), an extensively attributed dataset of adult diabetics (n = 610); the second was the complete driver's license records for Vermont (n = 401,367). The dependent variable was BMI, measured objectively for the VDIS data and self-reported for the driver's license data. The explanatory variable was commercial buildings per hectare within 250 m of the home address used as a proxy for walkability. We regressed BMI against density in both datasets, controlling for age and gender; a separate regression was run for the VDIS data, controlling for a number of additional confounders related to health, activity, diet, and income. Results All models demonstrated a significant positive relationship between BMI and commercial building density. For the three VDIS data models, coefficients of density were +0.75, +0.79, and +0.90, all of which indicate an approximate ¾ kg/m2 increase in BMI for each additional commercial facility per hectare (p < 0.01). For the driver’s license data, the coefficient was +0.16, which also indicates an increase in BMI with increasing density (p < 0.01). Discussion We found that BMI displays a positive association with commercial building density in Vermont, which is inconsistent with previous findings. The difference may be due to the unique rural focus of this study. Other characteristics of rural life may be associated with lower incidence of obesity and should be studied further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin R Troy
- Department of Planning and Design, University of Colorado, Denver, USA
| | - Levi N Bonnell
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, USA
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Lee M, Chun Y, Griffith DA. Error propagation in spatial modeling of public health data: a simulation approach using pediatric blood lead level data for Syracuse, New York. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2018; 40:667-681. [PMID: 28791510 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-017-0014-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Lead poisoning produces serious health problems, which are worse when a victim is younger. The US government and society have tried to prevent lead poisoning, especially since the 1970s; however, lead exposure remains prevalent. Lead poisoning analyses frequently use georeferenced blood lead level data. Like other types of data, these spatial data may contain uncertainties, such as location and attribute measurement errors, which can propagate to analysis results. For this paper, simulation experiments are employed to investigate how selected uncertainties impact regression analyses of blood lead level data in Syracuse, New York. In these simulations, location error and attribute measurement error, as well as a combination of these two errors, are embedded into the original data, and then these data are aggregated into census block group and census tract polygons. These aggregated data are analyzed with regression techniques, and comparisons are reported between the regression coefficients and their standard errors for the error added simulation results and the original results. To account for spatial autocorrelation, the eigenvector spatial filtering method and spatial autoregressive specifications are utilized with linear and generalized linear models. Our findings confirm that location error has more of an impact on the differences than does attribute measurement error, and show that the combined error leads to the greatest deviations. Location error simulation results show that smaller administrative units experience more of a location error impact, and, interestingly, coefficients and standard errors deviate more from their true values for a variable with a low level of spatial autocorrelation. These results imply that uncertainty, especially location error, has a considerable impact on the reliability of spatial analysis results for public health data, and that the level of spatial autocorrelation in a variable also has an impact on modeling results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monghyeon Lee
- School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd. GR31, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA.
| | - Yongwan Chun
- School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd. GR31, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Daniel A Griffith
- School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd. GR31, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
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20
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Johnson GD, Mesler K, Kacica MA. A Community Needs Index for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Program Planning: Application of Spatial Generalized Linear Mixed Models. Matern Child Health J 2018; 21:1227-1233. [PMID: 28168593 DOI: 10.1007/s10995-017-2280-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Objective The objective is to estimate community needs with respect to risky adolescent sexual behavior in a way that is risk-adjusted for multiple community factors. Methods Generalized linear mixed modeling was applied for estimating teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease (STD) incidence by postal ZIP code in New York State, in a way that adjusts for other community covariables and residual spatial autocorrelation. A community needs index was then obtained by summing the risk-adjusted estimates of pregnancy and STD cases. Results Poisson regression with a spatial random effect was chosen among competing modeling approaches. Both the risk-adjusted caseloads and rates were computed for ZIP codes, which allowed risk-based prioritization to help guide funding decisions for a comprehensive adolescent pregnancy prevention program. Conclusions This approach provides quantitative evidence of community needs with respect to risky adolescent sexual behavior, while adjusting for other community-level variables and stabilizing estimates in areas with small populations. Therefore, it was well accepted by the affected groups and proved valuable for program planning. This methodology may also prove valuable for follow up program evaluation. Current research is directed towards further improving the statistical modeling approach and applying to different health and behavioral outcomes, along with different predictor variables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glen D Johnson
- City University of New York School of Public Health, 55 West 125th Street, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
| | - Kristine Mesler
- Bureau of Women, Infant and Adolescent Health, New York State Department of Health, Corning Tower Room 859, Albany, NY, 12237, USA
| | - Marilyn A Kacica
- Division of Family Health, New York State Department of Health, Corning Tower, Room 984, Albany, NY, USA.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, State University of New York, University at Albany, 1 University Place, Rensselaer, NY, 12144, USA
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21
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Liese AD, Lamichhane AP, Garzia SCA, Puett RC, Porter DE, Dabelea D, D'Agostino RB, Standiford D, Liu L. Neighborhood characteristics, food deserts, rurality, and type 2 diabetes in youth: Findings from a case-control study. Health Place 2018; 50:81-88. [PMID: 29414425 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2018.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2017] [Revised: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Little is known about the influence of neighborhood characteristics on risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) among youth. We used data from the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Case-Control Study to evaluate the association of neighborhood characteristics, including food desert status of the census tract, with T2D in youth. We found a larger proportion of T2D cases in tracts with lower population density, larger minority population, and lower levels of education, household income, housing value, and proportion of the population in a managerial position. However, most associations of T2D with neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics were attributable to differences in individual characteristics. Notably, in multivariate logistic regression models, T2D was associated with living in the least densely populated study areas, and this finding requires further exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela D Liese
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Center for Research in Nutrition and Health Disparities, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC 29208, USA.
| | - Archana P Lamichhane
- Environmental Health Sciences, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina and Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Sara C A Garzia
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Center for Research in Nutrition and Health Disparities, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Robin C Puett
- Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health, University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Dwayne E Porter
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Dana Dabelea
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Ralph B D'Agostino
- School of Medicine, Division of Biostatistical Sciences, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | | | - Lenna Liu
- Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA, USA
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Talbot TO, Done DH, Babcock GD. Calculating census tract-based life expectancy in New York state: a generalizable approach. Popul Health Metr 2018; 16:1. [PMID: 29373976 PMCID: PMC5787312 DOI: 10.1186/s12963-018-0159-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2017] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Life expectancy at birth (LE) has been calculated for states and counties. LE estimates at these levels mask health disparities in local communities. There are no nationwide estimates at the sub-county level. We present a stepwise approach for calculating LE using census tracts in New York state to identify health disparities. METHODS Our study included 2751 census tracts in New York state, but excluded New York City. We used population data from the 2010 United States Census and 2008-2010 mortality data from the state health department. Tracts were assigned to 99.97% of the deaths. We removed tracts which had a majority of people living in group quarters. Deaths in these tracts are often recorded elsewhere. Of the remaining 2679 tracts, 6.6% of the tracts had standard errors ≥ 2 years. A geographic aggregation tool was used to aggregate tracts with fewer than 60 deaths, and then aggregate areas that had standard errors of ≥ 2 years. RESULTS Aggregation resulted in a 9.9% reduction in the number of areas. Tracts with < 2% of population living below the poverty level had a LE of 82.8 years, while tracts with a poverty level ≥ 25% had a LE of 75.5. We observed differences in LE in border areas, of up to 10.4 years, when excluding or including deaths of study area residents that occurred outside the study area. The range and standard deviation at the county level (77.5-82.8, SD = 1.2 years) were smaller than our final sub-county areas (64.7-92.0, SD = 3.3 years). The correlation between LE and poverty were similar and statistically significant (p < 0.0001) at the county (r = - 0.58) and sub-county level (r = - 0.58). The correlations between LE and percent African-American at the county level were (r = 0.11, p = 0.43) and at the sub-county level (r = - 0.25, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION The proposed approach for geocoding and aggregation of mortality and population data provides a solution for health departments to produce stable empirically-derived LE estimates using data coded to the tract. Reliable estimates within sub-county areas are needed to aid public health officials in focusing preventive health programs in areas where health disparities would be masked by county level estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas O. Talbot
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Albany School of Public Health, Rensselaer, NY USA
| | - Douglas H. Done
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Albany School of Public Health, Rensselaer, NY USA
| | - Gwen D. Babcock
- Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY USA
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Rudolph A, Tobin K, Rudolph J, Latkin C. Web-Based Survey Application to Collect Contextually Relevant Geographic Data With Exposure Times: Application Development and Feasibility Testing. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2018; 4:e12. [PMID: 29351899 PMCID: PMC5797287 DOI: 10.2196/publichealth.8581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Accepted: 11/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although studies that characterize the risk environment by linking contextual factors with individual-level data have advanced infectious disease and substance use research, there are opportunities to refine how we define relevant neighborhood exposures; this can in turn reduce the potential for exposure misclassification. For example, for those who do not inject at home, injection risk behaviors may be more influenced by the environment where they inject than where they live. Similarly, among those who spend more time away from home, a measure that accounts for different neighborhood exposures by weighting each unique location proportional to the percentage of time spent there may be more correlated with health behaviors than one’s residential environment. Objective This study aimed to develop a Web-based application that interacts with Google Maps application program interfaces (APIs) to collect contextually relevant locations and the amount of time spent in each. Our analysis examined the extent of overlap across different location types and compared different approaches for classifying neighborhood exposure. Methods Between May 2014 and March 2017, 547 participants enrolled in a Baltimore HIV care and prevention study completed an interviewer-administered Web-based survey that collected information about where participants were recruited, worked, lived, socialized, injected drugs, and spent most of their time. For each location, participants gave an address or intersection which they confirmed using Google Map and Street views. Geographic coordinates (and hours spent in each location) were joined to neighborhood indicators by Community Statistical Area (CSA). We computed a weighted exposure based on the proportion of time spent in each unique location. We compared neighborhood exposures based on each of the different location types with one another and the weighted exposure using analysis of variance with Bonferroni corrections to account for multiple comparisons. Results Participants reported spending the most time at home, followed by the location where they injected drugs. Injection locations overlapped most frequently with locations where people reported socializing and living or sleeping. The least time was spent in the locations where participants reported earning money and being recruited for the study; these locations were also the least likely to overlap with other location types. We observed statistically significant differences in neighborhood exposures according to the approach used. Overall, people reported earning money in higher-income neighborhoods and being recruited for the study and injecting in neighborhoods with more violent crime, abandoned houses, and poverty. Conclusions This analysis revealed statistically significant differences in neighborhood exposures when defined by different locations or weighted based on exposure time. Future analyses are needed to determine which exposure measures are most strongly associated with health and risk behaviors and to explore whether associations between individual-level behaviors and neighborhood exposures are modified by exposure times.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abby Rudolph
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Karin Tobin
- Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | | | - Carl Latkin
- Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Integrating activity spaces in health research: Comparing the VERITAS activity space questionnaire with 7-day GPS tracking and prompted recall. Spat Spatiotemporal Epidemiol 2018; 25:1-9. [PMID: 29751887 DOI: 10.1016/j.sste.2017.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2016] [Revised: 12/06/2017] [Accepted: 12/22/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Accounting for daily mobility allows assessment of multiple exposure to environments. This study compares spatial data obtained (i) from an interactive map-based questionnaire on regular activity locations (VERITAS) and (ii) from GPS tracking. METHODS 234 participants of the RECORD GPS Study completed the VERITAS questionnaire and wore a GPS tracker for 7 days. Analyses illustrate the spatial match between both datasets. RESULTS For half of the sample, 85.5% of GPS data fell within 500 m of a VERITAS location. The median minimum distance between a VERITAS location and a GPS coordinate ranged from 0.4 m for home to slightly over 100 m for a recreational destination. CONCLUSIONS There is a spatial correspondence between destinations collected through VERITAS and 7-day GPS tracking. Both collection methods offer complementary ways to assess daily mobilities, useful to study environmental determinants of health and health inequities.
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Feng X, Astell-Burt T, Badland H, Mavoa S, Giles-Corti B. Modest ratios of fast food outlets to supermarkets and green grocers are associated with higher body mass index: Longitudinal analysis of a sample of 15,229 Australians aged 45 years and older in the Australian National Liveability Study. Health Place 2017; 49:101-110. [PMID: 29253808 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2017.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2017] [Revised: 09/24/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Food purchasing decisions are made within the context of the range of options available, yet most epidemiological studies focus upon single outlet types. Ratios of fast food outlets to supermarkets and green grocers were linked to addresses of 15,229 adults in the 45 and Up Study at baseline (2006-2008) and follow-up (2009-2010). Compared to having no fast food outlet but having healthy food outlets within 3.2km from home, multilevel growth curves revealed that relative exposure>25% fast food outlets were associated with 0.36-1.19kg/m2 higher BMI (p<0.05). These associations were consistent as people aged. No associations were observed for food outlets<0.8km.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqi Feng
- Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), School of Health and Society, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Australia; Menzies Centre for Health Policy, University of Sydney, Australia.
| | - Thomas Astell-Burt
- Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), School of Health and Society, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Australia; Menzies Centre for Health Policy, University of Sydney, Australia.
| | - Hannah Badland
- Centre for Urban Research, School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University, Australia
| | - Suzanne Mavoa
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Billie Giles-Corti
- Centre for Urban Research, School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University, Australia
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Rudolph AE, Young AM, Havens JR. A rural/urban comparison of privacy and confidentiality concerns associated with providing sensitive location information in epidemiologic research involving persons who use drugs. Addict Behav 2017; 74:106-111. [PMID: 28609723 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 05/26/2017] [Accepted: 06/07/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Analyses that link contextual factors with individual-level data can improve our understanding of the "risk environment"; however, the accuracy of information provided by participants about locations where illegal/stigmatized behaviors occur may be influenced by privacy/confidentiality concerns that may vary by setting and/or data collection approach. METHODS We recruited thirty-five persons who use drugs from a rural Appalachian town and a Mid-Atlantic city to participate in in-depth interviews. Through thematic analyses, we identified and compared privacy/confidentiality concerns associated with two survey methods that (1) collect self-reported addresses/cross-streets and (2) use an interactive web-based map to find/confirm locations in rural and urban settings. RESULTS Concerns differed more by setting than between methods. For example, (1) rural participants valued interviewer rapport and protections provided by the Certificate of Confidentiality more; (2) locations considered to be sensitive differed in rural (i.e., others' homes) and urban (i.e., where drugs were used) settings; and (3) urban participants were more likely to view providing cross-streets as an acceptable alternative to providing exact addresses for sensitive locations and to prefer the web-based map approach. CONCLUSION Rural-urban differences in privacy/confidentiality concerns reflect contextual differences (i.e., where drugs are used/purchased, population density, and prior drug-related arrests). Strategies to alleviate concerns include: (1) obtain a Certificate of Confidentiality, (2) collect geographic data at the scale necessary for proposed analyses, and (3) permit participants to provide intersections/landmarks in close proximity to actual locations rather than exact addresses or to skip questions where providing an intersection/landmark would not obfuscate the actual address.
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Sadler RC, Lafreniere DJ. You are where you live: Methodological challenges to measuring children's exposure to hazards. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 23:189-198. [PMID: 31929718 DOI: 10.1080/10796126.2017.1336705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Many of the challenges that affect children living in poverty are directly related to the neighborhoods in which they live. Places that inhibit healthy living and those that expose children to environmental pollution tend to more heavily affect children in poverty. This environmental injustice is a natural concern of the fields of urban planning, geography, and children's health. Yet many decisions that affect opportunities for healthy living are made without a full understanding of how neighborhood context influences such opportunities. In this brief, we paint inequalities in child health outcomes as a spatial problem, review some of the geospatial tools used by urban planners and geographers, discuss common reasons for misclassification or misrepresentation of spatially explicit problems, and propose more suitable methods for measuring opportunities and exposures germane to the field of child poverty. Throughout, we emphasize the need for evidence-driven, spatially grounded responses to child poverty issues with a spatial dimension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard C Sadler
- Division of Public Health, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Flint, MI, USA
| | - Don J Lafreniere
- Department of Social Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, USA
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McDonald YJ, Schwind M, Goldberg DW, Lampley A, Wheeler CM. An analysis of the process and results of manual geocode correction. GEOSPATIAL HEALTH 2017; 12:526. [PMID: 28555477 PMCID: PMC5978681 DOI: 10.4081/gh.2017.526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2016] [Revised: 02/21/2017] [Accepted: 03/01/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Geocoding is the science and process of assigning geographical coordinates (i.e. latitude, longitude) to a postal address. The quality of the geocode can vary dramatically depending on several variables, including incorrect input address data, missing address components, and spelling mistakes. A dataset with a considerable number of geocoding inaccuracies can potentially result in an imprecise analysis and invalid conclusions. There has been little quantitative analysis of the amount of effort (i.e. time) to perform geocoding correction, and how such correction could improve geocode quality type. This study used a low-cost and easy to implement method to improve geocode quality type of an input database (i.e. addresses to be matched) through the processes of manual geocode intervention, and it assessed the amount of effort to manually correct inaccurate geocodes, reported the resulting match rate improvement between the original and the corrected geocodes, and documented the corresponding spatial shift by geocode quality type resulting from the corrections. Findings demonstrated that manual intervention of geocoding resulted in a 90% improvement of geocode quality type, took 42 hours to process, and the spatial shift ranged from 0.02 to 151,368 m. This study provides evidence to inform research teams considering the application of manual geocoding intervention that it is a low-cost and relatively easy process to execute.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yolanda J McDonald
- Department of Geography, College of Geosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX.
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Faure E, Danjou AM, Clavel-Chapelon F, Boutron-Ruault MC, Dossus L, Fervers B. Accuracy of two geocoding methods for geographic information system-based exposure assessment in epidemiological studies. Environ Health 2017; 16:15. [PMID: 28235407 PMCID: PMC5324215 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-017-0217-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Environmental exposure assessment based on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and study participants' residential proximity to environmental exposure sources relies on the positional accuracy of subjects' residences to avoid misclassification bias. Our study compared the positional accuracy of two automatic geocoding methods to a manual reference method. METHODS We geocoded 4,247 address records representing the residential history (1990-2008) of 1,685 women from the French national E3N cohort living in the Rhône-Alpes region. We compared two automatic geocoding methods, a free-online geocoding service (method A) and an in-house geocoder (method B), to a reference layer created by manually relocating addresses from method A (method R). For each automatic geocoding method, positional accuracy levels were compared according to the urban/rural status of addresses and time-periods (1990-2000, 2001-2008), using Chi Square tests. Kappa statistics were performed to assess agreement of positional accuracy of both methods A and B with the reference method, overall, by time-periods and by urban/rural status of addresses. RESULTS Respectively 81.4% and 84.4% of addresses were geocoded to the exact address (65.1% and 61.4%) or to the street segment (16.3% and 23.0%) with methods A and B. In the reference layer, geocoding accuracy was higher in urban areas compared to rural areas (74.4% vs. 10.5% addresses geocoded to the address or interpolated address level, p < 0.0001); no difference was observed according to the period of residence. Compared to the reference method, median positional errors were 0.0 m (IQR = 0.0-37.2 m) and 26.5 m (8.0-134.8 m), with positional errors <100 m for 82.5% and 71.3% of addresses, for method A and method B respectively. Positional agreement of method A and method B with method R was 'substantial' for both methods, with kappa coefficients of 0.60 and 0.61 for methods A and B, respectively. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates the feasibility of geocoding residential addresses in epidemiological studies not initially recorded for environmental exposure assessment, for both recent addresses and residence locations more than 20 years ago. Accuracy of the two automatic geocoding methods was comparable. The in-house method (B) allowed a better control of the geocoding process and was less time consuming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elodie Faure
- Cancer and Environnent Department, Centre Léon Bérard, 28 rue Laennec, 69373, Lyon, Cedex 08 France
| | - Aurélie M.N. Danjou
- Cancer and Environnent Department, Centre Léon Bérard, 28 rue Laennec, 69373, Lyon, Cedex 08 France
- Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, 43 Boulevard du 11 Novembre 1918, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Françoise Clavel-Chapelon
- Inserm, Centre for research in Epidemiology and Population Health (CESP), U1018, Team “Generations for Health”, 94805 Villejuif, France
- Paris Sud University, UMRS 1018, 94805 Villejuif, France
- INSERM U1018 – EMT, Institut Gustave Roussy, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94805 Villejuif, Cedex France
| | - Marie-Christine Boutron-Ruault
- Inserm, Centre for research in Epidemiology and Population Health (CESP), U1018, Team “Generations for Health”, 94805 Villejuif, France
- Paris Sud University, UMRS 1018, 94805 Villejuif, France
- INSERM U1018 – EMT, Institut Gustave Roussy, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94805 Villejuif, Cedex France
| | - Laure Dossus
- Inserm, Centre for research in Epidemiology and Population Health (CESP), U1018, Team “Generations for Health”, 94805 Villejuif, France
- Paris Sud University, UMRS 1018, 94805 Villejuif, France
| | - Béatrice Fervers
- Cancer and Environnent Department, Centre Léon Bérard, 28 rue Laennec, 69373, Lyon, Cedex 08 France
- Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, 43 Boulevard du 11 Novembre 1918, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
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Advances in spatial epidemiology and geographic information systems. Ann Epidemiol 2016; 27:1-9. [PMID: 28081893 DOI: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2016.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2016] [Revised: 11/30/2016] [Accepted: 12/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The field of spatial epidemiology has evolved rapidly in the past 2 decades. This study serves as a brief introduction to spatial epidemiology and the use of geographic information systems in applied research in epidemiology. We highlight technical developments and highlight opportunities to apply spatial analytic methods in epidemiologic research, focusing on methodologies involving geocoding, distance estimation, residential mobility, record linkage and data integration, spatial and spatio-temporal clustering, small area estimation, and Bayesian applications to disease mapping. The articles included in this issue incorporate many of these methods into their study designs and analytical frameworks. It is our hope that these studies will spur further development and utilization of spatial analysis and geographic information systems in epidemiologic research.
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Xu X, Hu H, Ha S, Han D. Smartphone-assisted spatial data collection improves geographic information quality: pilot study using a birth records dataset. GEOSPATIAL HEALTH 2016; 11:482. [PMID: 27903063 PMCID: PMC5800510 DOI: 10.4081/gh.2016.482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Revised: 08/15/2016] [Accepted: 09/01/2016] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
It is well known that the conventional, automated geocoding method based on self-reported residential addresses has many issues. We developed a smartphone-assisted aerial image-based method, which uses the Google Maps application programming interface as a spatial data collection tool during the birth registration process. In this pilot study, we have tested whether the smartphone-assisted method provides more accurate geographic information than the automated geocoding method in the scenario when both methods can get the address geocodes. We randomly selected 100 well-geocoded addresses among women who gave birth in Alachua county, Florida in 2012. We compared geocodes generated from three geocoding methods: i) the smartphone-assisted aerial image-based method; ii) the conventional, automated geocoding method; and iii) the global positioning system (GPS). We used the GPS data as the reference method. The automated geocoding method yielded positional errors larger than 100 m among 29.3% of addresses, while all addresses geocoded by the smartphoneassisted method had errors less than 100 m. The positional errors of the automated geocoding method were greater for apartment/condominiums compared with other dwellings and also for rural addresses compared with urban ones. We conclude that the smartphone-assisted method is a promising method for perspective spatial data collection by improving positional accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Xu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX.
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Identifying the Uncertainty in Physician Practice Location through Spatial Analytics and Text Mining. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2016; 13:ijerph13090930. [PMID: 27657100 PMCID: PMC5036762 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph13090930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2016] [Revised: 09/02/2016] [Accepted: 09/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In response to the widespread concern about the adequacy, distribution, and disparity of access to a health care workforce, the correct identification of physicians’ practice locations is critical to access public health services. In prior literature, little effort has been made to detect and resolve the uncertainty about whether the address provided by a physician in the survey is a practice address or a home address. This paper introduces how to identify the uncertainty in a physician’s practice location through spatial analytics, text mining, and visual examination. While land use and zoning code, embedded within the parcel datasets, help to differentiate resident areas from other types, spatial analytics may have certain limitations in matching and comparing physician and parcel datasets with different uncertainty issues, which may lead to unforeseen results. Handling and matching the string components between physicians’ addresses and the addresses of the parcels could identify the spatial uncertainty and instability to derive a more reasonable relationship between different datasets. Visual analytics and examination further help to clarify the undetectable patterns. This research will have a broader impact over federal and state initiatives and policies to address both insufficiency and maldistribution of a health care workforce to improve the accessibility to public health services.
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Zhang Z, Manjourides J, Cohen T, Hu Y, Jiang Q. Spatial measurement errors in the field of spatial epidemiology. Int J Health Geogr 2016; 15:21. [PMID: 27368370 PMCID: PMC4930612 DOI: 10.1186/s12942-016-0049-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2015] [Accepted: 06/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Spatial epidemiology has been aided by advances in geographic information systems, remote sensing, global positioning systems and the development of new statistical methodologies specifically designed for such data. Given the growing popularity of these studies, we sought to review and analyze the types of spatial measurement errors commonly encountered during spatial epidemiological analysis of spatial data.
Methods Google Scholar, Medline, and Scopus databases were searched using a broad set of terms for papers indexed by a term indicating location (space or geography or location or position) and measurement error (measurement error or measurement inaccuracy or misclassification or uncertainty): we reviewed all papers appearing before December 20, 2014. These papers and their citations were reviewed to identify the relevance to our review. Results We were able to define and classify spatial measurement errors into four groups: (1) pure spatial location measurement errors, including both non-instrumental errors (multiple addresses, geocoding errors, outcome aggregations, and covariate aggregation) and instrumental errors; (2) location-based outcome measurement error (purely outcome measurement errors and missing outcome measurements); (3) location-based covariate measurement errors (address proxies); and (4) Covariate-Outcome spatial misaligned measurement errors. We propose how these four classes of errors can be unified within an integrated theoretical model and possible solutions were discussed. Conclusion Spatial measurement errors are ubiquitous threat to the validity of spatial epidemiological studies. We propose a systematic framework for understanding the various mechanisms which generate spatial measurement errors and present practical examples of such errors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijie Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China. .,Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Justin Manjourides
- Department of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Ted Cohen
- Department of Epidemiology and the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Division of Global Health Equity, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Yi Hu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qingwu Jiang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200032, China
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Glasgow ML, Rudra CB, Yoo EH, Demirbas M, Merriman J, Nayak P, Crabtree-Ide C, Szpiro AA, Rudra A, Wactawski-Wende J, Mu L. Using smartphones to collect time-activity data for long-term personal-level air pollution exposure assessment. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2016; 26:356-364. [PMID: 25425137 DOI: 10.1038/jes.2014.78] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2013] [Revised: 09/08/2014] [Accepted: 09/15/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Because of the spatiotemporal variability of people and air pollutants within cities, it is important to account for a person's movements over time when estimating personal air pollution exposure. This study aimed to examine the feasibility of using smartphones to collect personal-level time-activity data. Using Skyhook Wireless's hybrid geolocation module, we developed "Apolux" (Air, Pollution, Exposure), an Android(TM) smartphone application designed to track participants' location in 5-min intervals for 3 months. From 42 participants, we compared Apolux data with contemporaneous data from two self-reported, 24-h time-activity diaries. About three-fourths of measurements were collected within 5 min of each other (mean=74.14%), and 79% of participants reporting constantly powered-on smartphones (n=38) had a daily average data collection frequency of <10 min. Apolux's degree of temporal resolution varied across manufacturers, mobile networks, and the time of day that data collection occurred. The discrepancy between diary points and corresponding Apolux data was 342.3 m (Euclidian distance) and varied across mobile networks. This study's high compliance and feasibility for data collection demonstrates the potential for integrating smartphone-based time-activity data into long-term and large-scale air pollution exposure studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark L Glasgow
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Carole B Rudra
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Eun-Hye Yoo
- Department of Geography, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Murat Demirbas
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Joel Merriman
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Pramod Nayak
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Christina Crabtree-Ide
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Adam A Szpiro
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Atri Rudra
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Jean Wactawski-Wende
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Lina Mu
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA
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Seukep SE, Kolivras KN, Hong Y, Li J, Prisley SP, Campbell JB, Gaines DN, Dymond RL. An Examination of the Demographic and Environmental Variables Correlated with Lyme Disease Emergence in Virginia. ECOHEALTH 2015; 12:634-644. [PMID: 26163019 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-015-1034-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2013] [Revised: 05/07/2015] [Accepted: 05/08/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Lyme disease is the United States' most significant vector-borne illness. Virginia, on the southern edge of the disease's currently expanding range, has experienced an increase in Lyme disease both spatially and temporally, with steadily increasing rates over the past decade and disease spread from the northern to the southwestern part of the state. This study used a Geographic Information System and a spatial Poisson regression model to examine correlations between demographic and land cover variables, and human Lyme disease from 2006 to 2010 in Virginia. Analysis indicated that herbaceous land cover is positively correlated with Lyme disease incidence rates. Areas with greater interspersion between herbaceous and forested land were also positively correlated with incidence rates. In addition, income and age were positively correlated with incidence rates. Levels of development, interspersion of herbaceous and developed land, and population density were negatively correlated with incidence rates. Abundance of forest fragments less than 2 hectares in area was not significantly correlated. Our results support some findings of previous studies on ecological variables and Lyme disease in endemic areas, but other results have not been found in previous studies, highlighting the potential contribution of new variables as Lyme disease continues to emerge southward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara E Seukep
- Department of Geography, Virginia Tech, 115 Major Williams Hall, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
| | - Korine N Kolivras
- Department of Geography, Virginia Tech, 115 Major Williams Hall, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
| | - Yili Hong
- Department of Statistics, Virginia Tech, Hutcheson Hall, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Statistics, Virginia Tech, Hutcheson Hall, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
| | - Stephen P Prisley
- Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, 313 Cheatham Hall, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
| | - James B Campbell
- Department of Geography, Virginia Tech, 115 Major Williams Hall, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
| | - David N Gaines
- Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Virginia Department of Health, 109 Governor St., Richmond, VA, 23219, USA.
| | - Randel L Dymond
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 200 Patton Hall, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
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Tenailleau QM, Mauny F, Joly D, François S, Bernard N. Air pollution in moderately polluted urban areas: How does the definition of "neighborhood" impact exposure assessment? ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2015; 206:437-448. [PMID: 26275728 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2015.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2015] [Accepted: 07/16/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Environmental health studies commonly quantify subjects' pollution exposure in their neighborhood. How this neighborhood is defined can vary, however, leading to different approaches to quantification whose impacts on exposure levels remain unclear. We explore the relationship between neighborhood definition and exposure assessment. NO2, benzene, PM10 and PM2.5 exposure estimates were computed in the vicinity of 10,825 buildings using twelve exposure assessment techniques reflecting different definitions of "neighborhood". At the city scale, its definition does not significantly influence exposure estimates. It does impact levels at the building scale, however: at least a quarter of the buildings' exposure estimates for a 400 m buffer differ from the estimated 50 m buffer value (±1.0 μg/m(3) for NO2, PM10 and PM2.5; and ±0.05 μg/m(3) for benzene). This variation is significantly related to the definition of neighborhood. It is vitally important for investigators to understand the impact of chosen assessment techniques on exposure estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quentin M Tenailleau
- Laboratoire Chrono-environnement, UMR6249, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Bourgogne/Franche-Comté, France.
| | - Frédéric Mauny
- Laboratoire Chrono-environnement, UMR6249, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Bourgogne/Franche-Comté, France; Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Besançon, France
| | - Daniel Joly
- Laboratoire ThéMA, UMR6049, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Bourgogne/Franche-Comté, France
| | | | - Nadine Bernard
- Laboratoire Chrono-environnement, UMR6249, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Bourgogne/Franche-Comté, France; Laboratoire ThéMA, UMR6049, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Bourgogne/Franche-Comté, France
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Klaus CA, Carrasco LE, Goldberg DW, Henry KA, Sherman RL. Use of attribute association error probability estimates to evaluate quality of medical record geocodes. Int J Health Geogr 2015; 14:26. [PMID: 26370237 PMCID: PMC4570180 DOI: 10.1186/s12942-015-0019-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2015] [Accepted: 08/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The utility of patient attributes associated with the spatiotemporal analysis of medical records lies not just in their values but also the strength of association between them. Estimating the extent to which a hierarchy of conditional probability exists between patient attribute associations such as patient identifying fields, patient and date of diagnosis, and patient and address at diagnosis is fundamental to estimating the strength of association between patient and geocode, and patient and enumeration area. We propose a hierarchy for the attribute associations within medical records that enable spatiotemporal relationships. We also present a set of metrics that store attribute association error probability (AAEP), to estimate error probability for all attribute associations upon which certainty in a patient geocode depends. METHODS A series of experiments were undertaken to understand how error estimation could be operationalized within health data and what levels of AAEP in real data reveal themselves using these methods. Specifically, the goals of this evaluation were to (1) assess if the concept of our error assessment techniques could be implemented by a population-based cancer registry; (2) apply the techniques to real data from a large health data agency and characterize the observed levels of AAEP; and (3) demonstrate how detected AAEP might impact spatiotemporal health research. RESULTS We present an evaluation of AAEP metrics generated for cancer cases in a North Carolina county. We show examples of how we estimated AAEP for selected attribute associations and circumstances. We demonstrate the distribution of AAEP in our case sample across attribute associations, and demonstrate ways in which disease registry specific operations influence the prevalence of AAEP estimates for specific attribute associations. CONCLUSIONS The effort to detect and store estimates of AAEP is worthwhile because of the increase in confidence fostered by the attribute association level approach to the assessment of uncertainty in patient geocodes, relative to existing geocoding related uncertainty metrics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luis E Carrasco
- North Carolina Center for Geographic Information and Analysis, Raleigh, NC, USA.
| | - Daniel W Goldberg
- Department of Geography, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
- Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
| | - Kevin A Henry
- Department of Geography and Urban Studies, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Recinda L Sherman
- North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, Springfield, IL, USA.
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Ganguly R, Batterman S, Isakov V, Snyder M, Breen M, Brakefield-Caldwell W. Effect of geocoding errors on traffic-related air pollutant exposure and concentration estimates. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2015; 25:490-498. [PMID: 25670023 PMCID: PMC4532655 DOI: 10.1038/jes.2015.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2014] [Revised: 11/11/2014] [Accepted: 11/11/2014] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to traffic-related air pollutants is highest very near roads, and thus exposure estimates are sensitive to positional errors. This study evaluates positional and PM2.5 concentration errors that result from the use of automated geocoding methods and from linearized approximations of roads in link-based emission inventories. Two automated geocoders (Bing Map and ArcGIS) along with handheld GPS instruments were used to geocode 160 home locations of children enrolled in an air pollution study investigating effects of traffic-related pollutants in Detroit, Michigan. The average and maximum positional errors using the automated geocoders were 35 and 196 m, respectively. Comparing road edge and road centerline, differences in house-to-highway distances averaged 23 m and reached 82 m. These differences were attributable to road curvature, road width and the presence of ramps, factors that should be considered in proximity measures used either directly as an exposure metric or as inputs to dispersion or other models. Effects of positional errors for the 160 homes on PM2.5 concentrations resulting from traffic-related emissions were predicted using a detailed road network and the RLINE dispersion model. Concentration errors averaged only 9%, but maximum errors reached 54% for annual averages and 87% for maximum 24-h averages. Whereas most geocoding errors appear modest in magnitude, 5% to 20% of residences are expected to have positional errors exceeding 100 m. Such errors can substantially alter exposure estimates near roads because of the dramatic spatial gradients of traffic-related pollutant concentrations. To ensure the accuracy of exposure estimates for traffic-related air pollutants, especially near roads, confirmation of geocoordinates is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajiv Ganguly
- Department of Civil Engineering, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Solan, India
| | - Stuart Batterman
- Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Vlad Isakov
- NERL, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michelle Snyder
- University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michael Breen
- NERL, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
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Influence of Demographic and Health Survey Point Displacements on Distance-Based Analyses. SPATIAL DEMOGRAPHY 2015; 4:155-173. [PMID: 27453935 DOI: 10.1007/s40980-015-0014-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
We evaluate the impacts of random spatial displacements on analyses that involve distance measures from displaced Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) clusters to nearest ancillary point or line features, such as health resources or roads. We use simulation and case studies to address the effects of this introduced error, and propose use of regression calibration (RC) to reduce its impact. Results suggest that RC outperforms analyses involving naive distance-based covariate assignments by reducing the bias and MSE of the main estimator in most settings. Proposed guidelines also address the effect of the spatial density of destination features on observed bias.
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Barnes TL, Bell BA, Freedman DA, Colabianchi N, Liese AD. Do people really know what food retailers exist in their neighborhood? Examining GIS-based and perceived presence of retail food outlets in an eight-county region of South Carolina. Spat Spatiotemporal Epidemiol 2015; 13:31-40. [PMID: 26046635 DOI: 10.1016/j.sste.2015.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2014] [Revised: 03/24/2015] [Accepted: 04/28/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Measures of neighborhood food environments have been linked to diet and obesity. However, the appropriate measurement methods and how people actually perceive their food environments are still unclear. In a cross-sectional study of 939 adults, the perceived presence of food outlets was compared to the geographic-based presence of outlets within a participant's neighborhood, utilizing percent agreement and Kappa statistics. Perceived presence was based on survey-administered questions, and geographic-based presence was characterized using 1-, 2-, 3- and 5-mile (1-mile=1.6km) Euclidean- and network-based buffers centered on each participant's residence. Analyses were also stratified by urban and non-urban designations. Overall, an individual's perceived neighborhood food environment was moderately correlated with the geographic-based presence of outlets. The performance of an individual's perception was most optimal using a 2- or 3-mile geographic-based neighborhood boundary and/or when the participant lived in a non-urban neighborhood. This study has implications for how researchers measure the food environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy L Barnes
- Center for Research in Nutrition and Health Disparities, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA; Obesity Prevention Center, Department of Epidemiology & Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Bethany A Bell
- College of Education, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Darcy A Freedman
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | | | - Angela D Liese
- Center for Research in Nutrition and Health Disparities, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
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41
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Tenailleau QM, Bernard N, Pujol S, Houot H, Joly D, Mauny F. Assessing residential exposure to urban noise using environmental models: does the size of the local living neighborhood matter? JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2015; 25:89-96. [PMID: 24866266 DOI: 10.1038/jes.2014.33] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2013] [Revised: 02/21/2014] [Accepted: 04/17/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Environmental epidemiological studies rely on the quantification of the exposure level in a surface defined as the subject's exposure area. For residential exposure, this area is often the subject's neighborhood. However, the variability of the size and nature of the neighborhoods makes comparison of the findings across studies difficult. This article examines the impact of the neighborhood's definition on environmental noise exposure levels obtained from four commonly used sampling techniques: address point, façade, buffers, and official zoning. A high-definition noise model, built on a middle-sized French city, has been used to estimate LAeq,24 h exposure in the vicinity of 10,825 residential buildings. Twelve noise exposure indicators have been used to assess inhabitants' exposure. Influence of urban environmental factors was analyzed using multilevel modeling. When the sampled area increases, the average exposure increases (+3.9 dB), whereas the SD decreases (-1.6 dB) (P<0.01). Most of the indicators differ statistically. When comparing indicators from the 50-m and 400-m radius buffers, the assigned LAeq,24 h level varies across buildings from -9.4 to +22.3 dB. This variation is influenced by urban environmental characteristics (P<0.01). On the basis of this study's findings, sampling technique, neighborhood size, and environmental composition should be carefully considered in further exposure studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quentin M Tenailleau
- Laboratoire Chrono-environnement UMR6249 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon, France
| | - Nadine Bernard
- 1] Laboratoire Chrono-environnement UMR6249 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon, France [2] Laboratoire ThéMA UMR6049 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon, France
| | - Sophie Pujol
- 1] Laboratoire Chrono-environnement UMR6249 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon, France [2] Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Besançon, Besançon, France
| | - Hélène Houot
- Laboratoire ThéMA UMR6049 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon, France
| | - Daniel Joly
- Laboratoire ThéMA UMR6049 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon, France
| | - Frédéric Mauny
- 1] Laboratoire Chrono-environnement UMR6249 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon, France [2] Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Besançon, Besançon, France
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Chang ET, Adami HO, Bailey WH, Boffetta P, Krieger RI, Moolgavkar SH, Mandel JS. Validity of geographically modeled environmental exposure estimates. Crit Rev Toxicol 2014; 44:450-66. [PMID: 24766059 DOI: 10.3109/10408444.2014.902029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Geographic modeling is increasingly being used to estimate long-term environmental exposures in epidemiologic studies of chronic disease outcomes. However, without validation against measured environmental concentrations, personal exposure levels, or biologic doses, these models cannot be assumed a priori to be accurate. This article discusses three examples of epidemiologic associations involving exposures estimated using geographic modeling, and identifies important issues that affect geographically modeled exposure assessment in these areas. In air pollution epidemiology, geographic models of fine particulate matter levels have frequently been validated against measured environmental levels, but comparisons between ambient and personal exposure levels have shown only moderate correlations. Estimating exposure to magnetic fields by using geographically modeled distances is problematic because the error is larger at short distances, where field levels can vary substantially. Geographic models of environmental exposure to pesticides, including paraquat, have seldom been validated against environmental or personal levels, and validation studies have yielded inconsistent and typically modest results. In general, the exposure misclassification resulting from geographic models of environmental exposures can be differential and can result in bias away from the null even if non-differential. Therefore, geographic exposure models must be rigorously constructed and validated if they are to be relied upon to produce credible scientific results to inform epidemiologic research. To our knowledge, such models have not yet successfully predicted an association between an environmental exposure and a chronic disease outcome that has eventually been established as causal, and may not be capable of doing so in the absence of thorough validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen T Chang
- Health Sciences Practice, Exponent, Inc. , Menlo Park, CA, Bowie, MD, and Bellevue, WA , USA
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43
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Jones RR, DellaValle CT, Flory AR, Nordan A, Hoppin JA, Hofmann JN, Chen H, Giglierano J, Lynch CF, Beane Freeman LE, Rushton G, Ward MH. Accuracy of residential geocoding in the Agricultural Health Study. Int J Health Geogr 2014; 13:37. [PMID: 25292160 PMCID: PMC4203975 DOI: 10.1186/1476-072x-13-37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2014] [Accepted: 09/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Environmental exposure assessments often require a study participant’s residential location, but the positional accuracy of geocoding varies by method and the rural status of an address. We evaluated geocoding error in the Agricultural Health Study (AHS), a cohort of pesticide applicators and their spouses in Iowa and North Carolina, U.S.A. Methods For 5,064 AHS addresses in Iowa, we compared rooftop coordinates as a gold standard to two alternate locations: 1) E911 locations (intersection of the private and public road), and 2) geocodes generated by matching addresses to a commercial street database (NAVTEQ) or placed manually. Positional error (distance in meters (m) from the rooftop) was assessed overall and separately for addresses inside (non-rural) or outside town boundaries (rural). We estimated the sensitivity and specificity of proximity-based exposures (crops, animal feeding operations (AFOs)) and the attenuation in odds ratios (ORs) for a hypothetical nested case–control study. We also evaluated geocoding errors within two AHS subcohorts in Iowa and North Carolina by comparing them to GPS points taken at residences. Results Nearly two-thirds of the addresses represented rural locations. Compared to the rooftop gold standard, E911 locations were more accurate overall than address-matched geocodes (median error 39 and 90 m, respectively). Rural addresses generally had greater error than non-rural addresses, although errors were smaller for E911 locations. For highly prevalent crops within 500 m (>97% of homes), sensitivity was >95% using both data sources; however, lower specificities with address-matched geocodes (more common for rural addresses) led to substantial attenuation of ORs (e.g., corn <500 m ORobs = 1.47 vs. ORtrue = 2.0). Error in the address-matched geocodes resulted in even greater ORobs attenuation for AFO exposures. Errors for North Carolina addresses were generally smaller than those in Iowa. Conclusions Geocoding error can be minimized when known coordinates are available to test alternative data and methods. Our assessment suggests that where E911 locations are available, they offer an improvement upon address-matched geocodes for rural addresses. Exposure misclassification resulting from positional error is dependent on the geographic database, geocoding method, and the prevalence of exposure. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1476-072X-13-37) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rena R Jones
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD, USA.
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Edwards SE, Strauss B, Miranda ML. Geocoding large population-level administrative datasets at highly resolved spatial scales. TRANSACTIONS IN GIS : TG 2014; 18:586-603. [PMID: 25383017 PMCID: PMC4222194 DOI: 10.1111/tgis.12052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Using geographic information systems to link administrative databases with demographic, social, and environmental data allows researchers to use spatial approaches to explore relationships between exposures and health. Traditionally, spatial analysis in public health has focused on the county, zip code, or tract level because of limitations to geocoding at highly resolved scales. Using 2005 birth and death data from North Carolina, we examine our ability to geocode population-level datasets at three spatial resolutions - zip code, street, and parcel. We achieve high geocoding rates at all three resolutions, with statewide street geocoding rates of 88.0% for births and 93.2% for deaths. We observe differences in geocoding rates across demographics and health outcomes, with lower geocoding rates in disadvantaged populations and the most dramatic differences occurring across the urban-rural spectrum. Our results suggest highly resolved spatial data architectures for population-level datasets are viable through geocoding individual street addresses. We recommend routinely geocoding administrative datasets to the highest spatial resolution feasible, allowing public health researchers to choose the spatial resolution used in analysis based on an understanding of the spatial dimensions of the health outcomes and exposures being investigated. Such research, however, must acknowledge how disparate geocoding success across subpopulations may affect findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon E. Edwards
- Children’s Environmental Health Initiative, School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan, 2046 Dana Building, 440 Church St, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Benjamin Strauss
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Box 90328, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Marie Lynn Miranda
- Children’s Environmental Health Initiative, School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan, 2046 Dana Building, 440 Church St, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, 2046 Dana Building, 440 Church St, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
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45
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Kottwitz A. Mode of birth and social inequalities in health: the effect of maternal education and access to hospital care on cesarean delivery. Health Place 2014; 27:9-21. [PMID: 24513591 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2014.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2013] [Revised: 01/13/2014] [Accepted: 01/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Access to health care is an important factor in explaining health inequalities. This study focuses on the issue of access to health care as a driving force behind the social discrepancies in cesarean delivery using data from 707 newborn children in the 2006-2011 birth cohorts of the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP). Data on individual birth outcomes are linked to hospital data using extracts of the quality assessment reports of nearly all German hospitals. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are used to assess hospital service clusters within a 20-km radius buffer around mother׳s homes. Logistic regression models adjusting for maternal characteristics indicate that the likelihood to deliver by a cesarean section increases for the least educated women when they face constraints with regard to access to hospital care. No differences between the education groups are observed when access to obstetric care is high, thus a high access to hospital care seems to balance out health inequalities that are related to differences in education. The results emphasize the importance of focusing on unequal access to hospital care in explaining differences in birth outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Kottwitz
- German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP), DIW Berlin, Mohrenstraße 58, 10117 Berlin, Germany; International Max Planck Research School on the Life Course (IMPRS LIFE), Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
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Ensuring Confidentiality of Geocoded Health Data: Assessing Geographic Masking Strategies for Individual-Level Data. Adv Med 2014; 2014:567049. [PMID: 26556417 PMCID: PMC4590956 DOI: 10.1155/2014/567049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2013] [Revised: 10/25/2013] [Accepted: 10/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Public health datasets increasingly use geographic identifiers such as an individual's address. Geocoding these addresses often provides new insights since it becomes possible to examine spatial patterns and associations. Address information is typically considered confidential and is therefore not released or shared with others. Publishing maps with the locations of individuals, however, may also breach confidentiality since addresses and associated identities can be discovered through reverse geocoding. One commonly used technique to protect confidentiality when releasing individual-level geocoded data is geographic masking. This typically consists of applying a certain amount of random perturbation in a systematic manner to reduce the risk of reidentification. A number of geographic masking techniques have been developed as well as methods to quantity the risk of reidentification associated with a particular masking method. This paper presents a review of the current state-of-the-art in geographic masking, summarizing the various methods and their strengths and weaknesses. Despite recent progress, no universally accepted or endorsed geographic masking technique has emerged. Researchers on the other hand are publishing maps using geographic masking of confidential locations. Any researcher publishing such maps is advised to become familiar with the different masking techniques available and their associated reidentification risks.
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Goldberg DW, Ballard M, Boyd JH, Mullan N, Garfield C, Rosman D, Ferrante AM, Semmens JB. An evaluation framework for comparing geocoding systems. Int J Health Geogr 2013; 12:50. [PMID: 24207169 PMCID: PMC3834528 DOI: 10.1186/1476-072x-12-50] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2013] [Accepted: 09/30/2013] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Geocoding, the process of converting textual information describing a location into one or more digital geographic representations, is a routine task performed at large organizations and government agencies across the globe. In a health context, this task is often a fundamental first step performed prior to all operations that take place in a spatially-based health study. As such, the quality of the geocoding system used within these agencies is of paramount concern to the agency (the producer) and researchers or policy-makers who wish to use these data (consumers). However, geocoding systems are continually evolving with new products coming on the market continuously. Agencies must develop and use criteria across a number axes when faced with decisions about building, buying, or maintaining any particular geocoding systems. To date, published criteria have focused on one or more aspects of geocode quality without taking a holistic view of a geocoding system's role within a large organization. The primary purpose of this study is to develop and test an evaluation framework to assist a large organization in determining which geocoding systems will meet its operational needs. METHODS A geocoding platform evaluation framework is derived through an examination of prior literature on geocoding accuracy. The framework developed extends commonly used geocoding metrics to take into account the specific concerns of large organizations for which geocoding is a fundamental operational capability tightly-knit into its core mission of processing health data records. A case study is performed to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of five geocoding platforms currently available in the Australian geospatial marketplace. RESULTS The evaluation framework developed in this research is proven successful in differentiating between key capabilities of geocoding systems that are important in the context of a large organization with significant investments in geocoding resources. Results from the proposed methodology highlight important differences across all axes of geocoding system comparisons including spatial data output accuracy, reference data coverage, system flexibility, the potential for tight integration, and the need for specialized staff and/or development time and funding. Such results can empower decisions-makers within large organizations as they make decisions and investments in geocoding systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel W Goldberg
- Department of Geography, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Morven Ballard
- Centre for Population Health Research, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - James H Boyd
- Centre for Population Health Research, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Narelle Mullan
- Cooperative Research Centre for Spatial Information, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Carol Garfield
- Data Linkage Branch, Western Australia Department of Health, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Diana Rosman
- Data Linkage Branch, Western Australia Department of Health, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Anna M Ferrante
- Centre for Population Health Research, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - James B Semmens
- Centre for Population Health Research, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
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Mendes LL, Nogueira H, Padez C, Ferrao M, Velasquez-Melendez G. Individual and environmental factors associated for overweight in urban population of Brazil. BMC Public Health 2013; 13:988. [PMID: 24143958 PMCID: PMC3854448 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2012] [Accepted: 09/23/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Obesity is a significant global public health problem and the main cause of many chronic diseases in both developed and developing countries. The increase in obesity in different populations worldwide cannot be explained solely by metabolic and genetic factors; environmental and social factors also have a strong association with obesity. Thus, it is believed that the current obesity epidemic is the result of a complex combination of genetic factors and an obesogenic environment .The purpose of this study was to evaluate individual variables and variables within the built and social environment for their potential association with overweight and obesity in an urban Brazilian population. METHODS Cross-sectional study was carried out in a sample of 3404 adults living in the urban area of the city. Information from the surveillance system for chronic diseases of Brazilian Ministry of Health was used and individual data was collected by telephone interviews. The database was geocoded using the Brazilian System of Postal Codes for participant residences. An updated, existing list based on the current addresses of supermarkets and hypermarkets in the city was used as an indicator variable of the availability and access to food. Georeferenced information on parks, public squares, places for practicing physical activity and the population density were also used to create data on the built environment. To characterize the social environment, we used the health vulnerability index (HVI) and georeferenced data for homicide locations. RESULTS The prevalence was 44% for overweight, poisson regression was used to create the final model. The environment variables that independently associated with overweight were the highest population density, very high health vulnerability index and the homicide rate adjusted for individuals variables. The results of the current study illustrate and confirm some important associations between individual and environmental variables and overweight in a representative sample of adults in the Brazilian urban context. CONCLUSIONS The social environment variables relating to the socioeconomic deprivation of the neighborhood and the built environment variables relating to higher walkability were significantly associated with overweight and obesity in Belo Horizonte.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa L Mendes
- Departamento de Nutrição, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora 36036-900, Brazil
| | - Helena Nogueira
- Department of Geography, University of Coimbra, Largo da Porta Férrea, Coimbra 3004-530, Portugal
- Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, University of Coimbra, Coimbra 3004-530, Portugal
| | - Cristina Padez
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra 3004-530, Portugal
- Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, University of Coimbra, Coimbra 3004-530, Portugal
| | - Maria Ferrao
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra 3004-530, Portugal
- Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, University of Coimbra, Coimbra 3004-530, Portugal
| | - Gustavo Velasquez-Melendez
- Departamento de Enfermagem Materno-infantil em Saúde Pública, Escola de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, Brazil
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Brugge D, Lane K, Padró-Martínez LT, Stewart A, Hoesterey K, Weiss D, Wang DD, Levy JI, Patton AP, Zamore W, Mwamburi M. Highway proximity associated with cardiovascular disease risk: the influence of individual-level confounders and exposure misclassification. Environ Health 2013; 12:84. [PMID: 24090339 PMCID: PMC3907023 DOI: 10.1186/1476-069x-12-84] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2013] [Accepted: 09/30/2013] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Elevated cardiovascular disease risk has been reported with proximity to highways or busy roadways, but proximity measures can be challenging to interpret given potential confounders and exposure error. METHODS We conducted a cross sectional analysis of plasma levels of C-Reactive Protein (hsCRP), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha receptor II (TNF-RII) and fibrinogen with distance of residence to a highway in and around Boston, Massachusetts. Distance was assigned using ortho-photo corrected parcel matching, as well as less precise approaches such as simple parcel matching and geocoding addresses to street networks. We used a combined random and convenience sample of 260 adults >40 years old. We screened a large number of individual-level variables including some infrequently collected for assessment of highway proximity, and included a subset in our final regression models. We monitored ultrafine particle (UFP) levels in the study areas to help interpret proximity measures. RESULTS Using the orthophoto corrected geocoding, in a fully adjusted model, hsCRP and IL-6 differed by distance category relative to urban background: 43% (-16%,141%) and 49% (6%,110%) increase for 0-50 m; 7% (-39%,45%) and 41% (6%,86%) for 50-150 m; 54% (-2%,142%) and 18% (-11%,57%) for 150-250 m, and 49% (-4%, 131%) and 42% (6%, 89%) for 250-450 m. There was little evidence for association for TNF-RII or fibrinogen. Ortho-photo corrected geocoding resulted in stronger associations than traditional methods which introduced differential misclassification. Restricted analysis found the effect of proximity on biomarkers was mostly downwind from the highway or upwind where there was considerable local street traffic, consistent with patterns of monitored UFP levels. CONCLUSION We found associations between highway proximity and both hsCRP and IL-6, with non-monotonic patterns explained partly by individual-level factors and differences between proximity and UFP concentrations. Our analyses emphasize the importance of controlling for the risk of differential exposure misclassification from geocoding error.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doug Brugge
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kevin Lane
- Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Andrea Stewart
- Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences, Medford, MA, USA
| | | | - David Weiss
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Wig Zamore
- Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership, Somerville, MA, USA
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Delmelle EM, Cassell CH, Dony C, Radcliff E, Tanner JP, Siffel C, Kirby RS. Modeling travel impedance to medical care for children with birth defects using Geographic Information Systems. BIRTH DEFECTS RESEARCH. PART A, CLINICAL AND MOLECULAR TERATOLOGY 2013; 97:673-84. [PMID: 23996978 PMCID: PMC4507419 DOI: 10.1002/bdra.23168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2013] [Revised: 06/27/2013] [Accepted: 07/02/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children with birth defects may face significant geographic barriers accessing medical care and specialized services. Using a Geographic Information Systems-based approach, one-way travel time and distance to access medical care for children born with spina bifida was estimated. METHODS Using 2007 road information from the Florida Department of Transportation, we built a topological network of Florida roads. Live-born Florida infants with spina bifida during 1998 to 2007 were identified by the Florida Birth Defects Registry and linked to hospital discharge records. Maternal residence at delivery and hospitalization locations were identified during the first year of life. RESULTS Of 668 infants with spina bifida, 8.1% (n = 54) could not be linked to inpatient data, resulting in 614 infants. Of those 614 infants, 99.7% (n = 612) of the maternal residential addresses at delivery were successfully geocoded. Infants with spina bifida living in rural areas in Florida experienced travel times almost twice as high compared with those living in urban areas. When aggregated at county levels, one-way network travel times exhibited statistically significant spatial autocorrelation, indicating that families living in some clusters of counties experienced substantially greater travel times compared with families living in other areas of Florida. CONCLUSION This analysis demonstrates the usefulness of linking birth defects registry and hospital discharge data to examine geographic differences in access to medical care. Geographic Information Systems methods are important in evaluating accessibility and geographic barriers to care and could be used among children with special health care needs, including children with birth defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric M. Delmelle
- Department of Geography and Earth Sciences and Center for Applied GI Science, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina
| | - Cynthia H. Cassell
- Division of Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Coline Dony
- Department of Geography and Earth Sciences and Center for Applied GI Science, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina
| | - Elizabeth Radcliff
- Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Health and Human Services, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina
| | - Jean Paul Tanner
- Birth Defects Surveillance Program, Department of Community and Family Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | - Csaba Siffel
- Division of Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Russell S. Kirby
- Birth Defects Surveillance Program, Department of Community and Family Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
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