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Ha H. Spatial variations in the associations of mental distress with sleep insufficiency in the United States: a county-level spatial analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2024; 34:911-922. [PMID: 36862936 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2023.2185211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
In this research, we conducted hierarchical multiple regression and complex sample general linear model (CSGLM) to expand knowledge on factors contributing to mental distress, particularly from a geographic perspective. Based on the Getis-Ord G* hot-spot analysis, geographic distribution of both FMD and insufficient sleep showed several contiguous hotspots in southeast regions. Moreover, in the hierarchical regression, even after accounting for potential covariates and multicollinearity, a significant association between FMD and insufficient sleep was found, explaining that mental distress increases with increasing insufficient sleep (R2 = 0.835). In the CSGLM, a R2 value of 0.782 indicated that the CSGLM procedure provided concrete evidence that FMD was significantly related to sleep insufficiency even after taking complex sample designs and weighting adjustments in the BRFSS into account. This geographic association between FMD and insufficient sleep based on cross-county study has not been reported before in the literature. These findings suggest a need for further investigation on geographic disparity on mental distress and insufficient sleep and have novel implications in our understanding of the etiology of mental distress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoehun Ha
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Auburn University at Montgomery, Montgomery, AL, USA
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Feng Y, Yang M, Fan Z, Zhao W, Kim P, Zhou X. COVIDanno, COVID-19 annotation in human. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1129103. [PMID: 37497545 PMCID: PMC10366449 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1129103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the etiologic agent of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), has caused a global health crisis. Despite ongoing efforts to treat patients, there is no universal prevention or cure available. One of the feasible approaches will be identifying the key genes from SARS-CoV-2-infected cells. SARS-CoV-2-infected in vitro model, allows easy control of the experimental conditions, obtaining reproducible results, and monitoring of infection progression. Currently, accumulating RNA-seq data from SARS-CoV-2 in vitro models urgently needs systematic translation and interpretation. To fill this gap, we built COVIDanno, COVID-19 annotation in humans, available at http://biomedbdc.wchscu.cn/COVIDanno/. The aim of this resource is to provide a reference resource of intensive functional annotations of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) among different time points of COVID-19 infection in human in vitro models. To do this, we performed differential expression analysis for 136 individual datasets across 13 tissue types. In total, we identified 4,935 DEGs. We performed multiple bioinformatics/computational biology studies for these DEGs. Furthermore, we developed a novel tool to help users predict the status of SARS-CoV-2 infection for a given sample. COVIDanno will be a valuable resource for identifying SARS-CoV-2-related genes and understanding their potential functional roles in different time points and multiple tissue types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuzhou Feng
- West China Biomedical Big Data Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Med-X Center for Informatics, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Mengyuan Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhiwei Fan
- Center for Computational Systems Medicine, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
- West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Weiling Zhao
- Center for Computational Systems Medicine, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Pora Kim
- Center for Computational Systems Medicine, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Xiaobo Zhou
- Center for Computational Systems Medicine, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
- McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
- School of Dentistry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
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Defar A, B. Okwaraji Y, Tigabu Z, Persson LÅ, Alemu K. Spatial distribution of common childhood illnesses, healthcare utilisation and associated factors in Ethiopia: Evidence from 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0281606. [PMID: 36897920 PMCID: PMC10004611 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Childhood illnesses, such as acute respiratory illness, fever, and diarrhoea, continue to be public health problems in low-income countries. Detecting spatial variations of common childhood illnesses and service utilisation is essential for identifying inequities and call for targeted actions. This study aimed to assess the geographical distribution and associated factors for common childhood illnesses and service utilisation across Ethiopia based on the 2016 Demographic and Health Survey. METHODS The sample was selected using a two-stage stratified sampling process. A total of 10,417 children under five years were included in this analysis. We linked data on their common illnesses during the last two weeks and healthcare utilisation were linked to Global Positioning System (GPS) information of their local area. The spatial data were created in ArcGIS10.1 for each study cluster. We applied a spatial autocorrelation model with Moran's index to determine the spatial clustering of the prevalence of childhood illnesses and healthcare utilisation. Ordinary Least Square (OLS) analysis was done to assess the association between selected explanatory variables and sick child health services utilisation. Hot and cold spot clusters for high or low utilisation were identified using Getis-Ord Gi*. Kriging interpolation was done to predict sick child healthcare utilisation in areas where study samples were not drawn. All statistical analyses were performed using Excel, STATA, and ArcGIS. RESULTS Overall, 23% (95CI: 21, 25) of children under five years had some illness during the last two weeks before the survey. Of these, 38% (95%CI: 34, 41) sought care from an appropriate provider. Illnesses and service utilisation were not randomly distributed across the country with a Moran's index 0.111, Z-score 6.22, P<0.001, and Moran's index = 0.0804, Z-score 4.498, P< 0.001, respectively. Wealth and reported distance to health facilities were associated with service utilisation. Prevalence of common childhood illnesses was higher in the North, while service utilisation was more likely to be on a low level in the Eastern, South-western, and the Northern parts of the country. CONCLUSION Our study provided evidence of geographic clustering of common childhood illnesses and health service utilisation when the child was sick. Areas with low service utilisation for childhood illnesses need priority, including actions to counteract barriers such as poverty and long distances to services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atkure Defar
- Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
- * E-mail:
| | - Yemisrach B. Okwaraji
- Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Zemene Tigabu
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Lars Åke Persson
- Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kassahun Alemu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
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Liu X, Seidel JE, McDonald T, Waters N, Patel AB, Shahid R, Bertazzon S, Marshall DA. Rural-Urban Differences in Non-Local Primary Care Utilization among People with Osteoarthritis: The Role of Area-Level Factors. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:6392. [PMID: 35681975 PMCID: PMC9180262 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19116392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
The utilization of non-local primary care physicians (PCP) is a key primary care indicator identified by Alberta Health to support evidence-based healthcare planning. This study aims to identify area-level factors that are significantly associated with non-local PCP utilization and to examine if these associations vary between rural and urban areas. We examined rural-urban differences in the associations between non-local PCP utilization and area-level factors using multivariate linear regression and geographically weighted regression (GWR) models. Global Moran's I and Gi* hot spot analyses were applied to identify spatial autocorrelation and hot spots/cold spots of non-local PCP utilization. We observed significant rural-urban differences in the non-local PCP utilization. Both GWR and multivariate linear regression model identified two significant factors (median travel time and percentage of low-income families) with non-local PCP utilization in both rural and urban areas. Discontinuity of care was significantly associated with non-local PCP in the southwest, while the percentage of people having university degree was significant in the north of Alberta. This research will help identify gaps in the utilization of local primary care and provide evidence for health care planning by targeting policies at associated factors to reduce gaps in OA primary care provision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxiao Liu
- Department of Community Health Science, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; (X.L.); (J.E.S.); (A.B.P.)
- McCaig Bone and Joint Health Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
- O’Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; (T.M.); (N.W.); (R.S.); (S.B.)
| | - Judy E. Seidel
- Department of Community Health Science, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; (X.L.); (J.E.S.); (A.B.P.)
- O’Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; (T.M.); (N.W.); (R.S.); (S.B.)
- Applied Research and Evaluation Services, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5G 0B7, Canada
| | - Terrence McDonald
- O’Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; (T.M.); (N.W.); (R.S.); (S.B.)
- Department of Family Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Nigel Waters
- O’Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; (T.M.); (N.W.); (R.S.); (S.B.)
- Department of Geography, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, College of Science, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
| | - Alka B. Patel
- Department of Community Health Science, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; (X.L.); (J.E.S.); (A.B.P.)
- O’Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; (T.M.); (N.W.); (R.S.); (S.B.)
- Applied Research and Evaluation Services, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5G 0B7, Canada
| | - Rizwan Shahid
- O’Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; (T.M.); (N.W.); (R.S.); (S.B.)
- Applied Research and Evaluation Services, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5G 0B7, Canada
- Department of Geography, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Stefania Bertazzon
- O’Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; (T.M.); (N.W.); (R.S.); (S.B.)
- Department of Geography, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Deborah A. Marshall
- Department of Community Health Science, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; (X.L.); (J.E.S.); (A.B.P.)
- McCaig Bone and Joint Health Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
- O’Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; (T.M.); (N.W.); (R.S.); (S.B.)
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Ha H, Shao W. A spatial epidemiology case study of mentally unhealthy days (MUDs): air pollution, community resilience, and sunlight perspectives. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2021; 31:491-506. [PMID: 31559848 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2019.1669768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The main objective of this spatial epidemiologic research is to gain greater insights into the geographic dimension displayed by the different duration of mentally unhealthy days (MUDs) across U.S. counties. Mentally unhealthy days (MUDs) are studied in entire cross counties for year of 2014. Using Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data in 2014, we examine main factors of mental health hazard including health behaviour, clinical care, socioeconomic and physical environment, demographic, community resilience, and extreme climatic conditions. In this study, we take complex design factors such as clustering, stratification and sample weight in the BRFSS data into account by using Complex Samples General Linear Model (CSGLM). Then, spatial regression models, spatial lag and error models, are applied to examine spatial dependencies and heteroscedasticity. Results of the geographic analyses indicate that counties with lower air pollution (PM2.5), higher community resilience (social, economic, infrastructure, and institutional resilience), and higher sunlight exposure had significantly lower average number of MUDs reported in the past 30 days. These findings suggest that policy makers should take air pollution, community resilience, and sunlight exposure into account when designing environmental and health policies and allocating resources to more effectively manage mental health problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoehun Ha
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Auburn University at Montgomery, Montgomery, AL, USA
| | - Wanyun Shao
- Department of Geography, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
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Kurji J, Talbot B, Bulcha G, Bedru KH, Morankar S, Gebretsadik LA, Wordofa MA, Welch V, Labonte R, Kulkarni MA. Uncovering spatial variation in maternal healthcare service use at subnational level in Jimma Zone, Ethiopia. BMC Health Serv Res 2020; 20:703. [PMID: 32736622 PMCID: PMC7394677 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-020-05572-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Analysis of disaggregated national data suggest uneven access to essential maternal healthcare services within countries. This is of concern as it hinders equitable progress in health outcomes. Mounting an effective response requires identification of subnational areas that may be lagging behind. This paper aims to explore spatial variation in maternal healthcare service use at health centre catchment, village and household levels. Spatial correlations of service use with household wealth and women’s education levels were also assessed. Methods Using survey data from 3758 households enrolled in a cluster randomized trial geographical variation in the use of maternity waiting homes (MWH), antenatal care (ANC), delivery care and postnatal care (PNC) was investigated in three districts in Jimma Zone. Correlations of service use with education and wealth levels were also explored among 24 health centre catchment areas using choropleth maps. Global spatial autocorrelation was assessed using Moran’s I. Cluster analyses were performed at village and household levels using Getis Ord Gi* and Kulldorf spatial scan statistics to identify cluster locations. Results Significant global spatial autocorrelation was present in ANC use (Moran’s I = 0.15, p value = 0.025), delivery care (Moran’s I = 0.17, p value = 0.01) and PNC use (Moran’s I = 0.31, p value < 0.01), but not MWH use (Moran’s I = -0.005, p value = 0.94) suggesting clustering of villages with similarly high (hot spots) and/or low (cold spots) service use. Hot spots were detected in health centre catchments in Gomma district while Kersa district had cold spots. High poverty or low education catchments generally had low levels of service use, but there were exceptions. At village level, hot and cold spots were detected for ANC, delivery care and PNC use. Household-level analyses revealed a primary cluster of elevated MWH-use not detected previously. Further investigation of spatial heterogeneity is warranted. Conclusions Sub-national variation in maternal healthcare services exists in Jimma Zone. There was relatively higher poverty and lower education in areas where service use cold spots were identified. Re-directing resources to vulnerable sub-groups and locations lagging behind will be necessary to ensure equitable progress in maternal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaameeta Kurji
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, Ontario, K1G 5Z3, Canada.
| | - Benoit Talbot
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, Ontario, K1G 5Z3, Canada
| | - Gebeyehu Bulcha
- Jimma Zone Health Office, Jimma Zone, Oromia Region, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Kunuz Haji Bedru
- Jimma Zone Health Office, Jimma Zone, Oromia Region, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Sudhakar Morankar
- Department of Health, Behaviour & Society, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | | | | | - Vivian Welch
- Centre for Global Health, Bruyere Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Ronald Labonte
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, Ontario, K1G 5Z3, Canada
| | - Manisha A Kulkarni
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, Ontario, K1G 5Z3, Canada
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Measuring and Visualizing Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Inequality: An Informatics Approach Using Geographical Information Systems. Online J Public Health Inform 2019; 11:e8. [PMID: 31632602 DOI: 10.5210/ojphi.v11i2.10155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Health inequality measurements are vital in understanding disease patterns in identifying high-risk patients and implementing effective intervention programs to treat and manage sexually transmitted diseases. OBJECTIVES To measure and identify inequalities among chlamydia and gonorrhea rates using Gini coefficient measurements and spatial visualization mapping from geographical information systems. Additionally, we seek to examine trends of disease rate distribution longitudinally over a ten-year period for an urbanized county. METHODS Chlamydia and gonorrhea data from January 2005 to December 2014 were collected from the Indiana Network for Patient Care, a health information exchange system that gathers patient data from electronic health records. The Gini coefficient was used to calculate the magnitude of inequality in disease rates. Spatial visualization mapping and decile categorization of disease rates were conducted to identify locations where high and low rates of disease persisted and to visualize differences in inequality. A multiple comparisons ANOVA test was conducted to determine if Gini coefficient values were statistically different between townships and time periods during the study. RESULTS Our analyses show that chlamydia and gonorrhea rates are not evenly distributed. Inequalities in disease rates existed for different areas of the county with higher disease rates occurring near the center of the county. Inequality in gonorrhea rates were higher than chlamydia rates. Disease rates were statistically different when geographical locations or townships were compared to each other (p < 0.0001) but not for different years or time periods (p = 0.5152). CONCLUSION The ability to use Gini coefficients combined with spatial visualization techniques presented a valuable opportunity to analyze information from health information systems in investigating health inequalities. Knowledge from this study can benefit and improve health quality, delivery of services, and intervention programs while managing healthcare costs.
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Unpacking walkability indices and their inherent assumptions. Health Place 2018; 55:145-154. [PMID: 30580962 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2018.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Revised: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Walkability indices are used to characterize the relationship between health and place. Indices make assumptions that affect analysis of the built environment and resulting walkability scores. This study compares three walkability indices created by health researchers focusing on the methods, variables, and walkability scores resulting from differences in definitions and methods. This paper deconstructs the walkability algorithms utilized by each index and rebuilds them in Vancouver, Canada. We find that neighbourhoods in the northern core closer to the downtown area have similar walkability scores across all three indices, while the outer peripheral neighbourhoods with moderate to low walkability have more variation in walkability scores across indices. Most walkability variables - residential density, street connectivity, and land-use - lack a rationale for inclusion, often assumed by researchers. Walkability indices used in health research prove to be incongruent with each other and misrepresentative of actual human behavior. We explore the impact of variable selection and methodologies on indices in the interest of more rigorous health research.
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Samuels-Kalow ME, Camargo CA. The Use of Geographic Data to Improve Asthma Care Delivery and Population Health. Clin Chest Med 2018; 40:209-225. [PMID: 30691713 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccm.2018.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The authors examine uses of geographic data to improve asthma care delivery and population health and describe potential practice changes and areas for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret E Samuels-Kalow
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Zero Emerson Place Suite 104, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
| | - Carlos A Camargo
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 125 Nashua Street, Suite 920, Boston MA 02114, USA
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Zhen Z, Cao Q, Shao L, Zhang L. Global and Geographically Weighted Quantile Regression for Modeling the Incident Rate of Children's Lead Poisoning in Syracuse, NY, USA. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2018; 15:E2300. [PMID: 30347704 PMCID: PMC6210516 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15102300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the full distribution of children's lead poisoning and identify "high risk" locations or areas in the neighborhood of the inner city of Syracuse (NY, USA), using quantile regression models. Methods: Global quantile regression (QR) and geographically weighted quantile regression (GWQR) were applied to model the relationships between children's lead poisoning and three environmental factors at different quantiles (25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th). The response variable was the incident rate of children's blood lead level ≥ 5 µg/dL in each census block, and the three predictor variables included building year, town taxable values, and soil lead concentration. Results: At each quantile, the regression coefficients of both global QR and GWQR models were (1) negative for both building year and town taxable values, indicating that the incident rate of children lead poisoning reduced with newer buildings and/or higher taxable values of the houses; and (2) positive for the soil lead concentration, implying that higher soil lead concentration around the house may cause higher risks of children's lead poisoning. Further, these negative or positive relationships between children's lead poisoning and three environmental factors became stronger for larger quantiles (i.e., higher risks). Conclusions: The GWQR models enabled us to explore the full distribution of children's lead poisoning and identify "high risk" locations or areas in the neighborhood of the inner city of Syracuse, which would provide useful information to assist the government agencies to make better decisions on where and what the lead hazard treatment should focus on.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Zhen
- Department of Forest Management, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, Heilongjiang, China.
| | - Qianqian Cao
- Department of Forest and Natural Resources Management, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, One Forestry Drive, Syracuse, New York, NY 13210, USA.
| | - Liyang Shao
- Department of Forest and Natural Resources Management, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, One Forestry Drive, Syracuse, New York, NY 13210, USA.
| | - Lianjun Zhang
- Department of Forest and Natural Resources Management, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, One Forestry Drive, Syracuse, New York, NY 13210, USA.
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Robertson C. Towards a geocomputational landscape epidemiology: surveillance, modelling, and interventions. GEOJOURNAL 2015; 82:397-414. [PMID: 32214618 PMCID: PMC7087791 DOI: 10.1007/s10708-015-9688-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The ability to explicitly represent infectious disease distributions and their risk factors over massive geographical and temporal scales has transformed how we investigate how environment impacts health. While landscape epidemiology studies have shed light on many aspects of disease distribution and risk differentials across geographies, new computational methods combined with new data sources such as citizen sensors, global spatial datasets, sensor networks, and growing availability and variety of satellite imagery offer opportunities for a more integrated approach to understanding these relationships. Additionally, a large number of new modelling and mapping methods have been developed in recent years to support the adoption of these new tools. The complexity of this research context results in study-dependent solutions and prevents landscape approaches from deeper integration into operational models and tools. In this paper we consider three common research contexts for spatial epidemiology; surveillance, modelling to estimate a spatial risk distribution and the need for intervention, and evaluating interventions and improving healthcare. A framework is proposed and a categorization of existing methods is presented. A case study into leptospirosis in Sri Lanka provides a working example of how the different phases of the framework relate to real research problems. The new framework for geocomputational landscape epidemiology encompasses four key phases: characterizing assemblages, characterizing functions, mapping interdependencies, and examining outcomes. Results from Sri Lanka provide evidence that the framework provides a useful way to structure and interpret analyses. The framework reported here is a new way to structure existing methods and tools of geocomputation that are increasingly relevant to researchers working on spatially explicit disease-landscape studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin Robertson
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Ave West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3C5 Canada
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