Geographic information systems: their use in environmental epidemiologic research.

Vine, Marilyn F.; Degnan, Darrah; Hanchette, Carol

doi:10.1289/ehp.97105598

Cited by 174 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…The attribute data within the tax parcel dataset were used to geocode blood lead surveillance data, as well as to determine the year built for houses where screened children resided. Potable service districts data were downloaded from the Wayne County GIS spatial data explorer (Wayne County GIS Department 2006). This dataset contains basic data for each of the water systems within Wayne County, including district name, number, and land area.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in Blood Lead Levels Associated with Use of Chloramines in Water Treatment Systems

Miranda

Kim

Hull

et al. 2007

Environ Health Perspect

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BackgroundMore municipal water treatment plants are using chloramines as a disinfectant in order to reduce carcinogenic by-products. In some instances, this has coincided with an increase in lead levels in drinking water in those systems. Lead in drinking water can be a significant health risk.ObjectivesWe sought to test the potential effect of switching to chloramines for disinfection in water treatment systems on childhood blood lead levels using data from Wayne County, located in the central Coastal Plain of North Carolina.MethodsWe constructed a unified geographic information system (GIS) that links blood lead screening data with age of housing, drinking water source, and census data for 7,270 records. The data were analyzed using both exploratory methods and more formal multivariate techniques.ResultsThe analysis indicates that the change to chloramine disinfection may lead to an increase in blood lead levels, the impact of which is progressively mitigated in newer housing.ConclusionsIntroducing chloramines to reduce carcinogenic by-products may increase exposure to lead in drinking water. Our research provides guidance on adjustments in the local childhood lead poisoning prevention program that should accompany changes in water treatment. As similar research is conducted in other areas, and the underlying environmental chemistry is clarified, water treatment strategies can be optimized across the multiple objectives that municipalities face in providing high quality drinking water to local residents.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in Blood Lead Levels Associated with Use of Chloramines in Water Treatment Systems

Miranda

Kim

Hull

et al. 2007

Environ Health Perspect

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“…Several publications describe the structure and functionality of a GIS more thoroughly (Chrisman 2002; DeMers 2000). Vine et al (1997) provide an overview of the use of specific functions in GIS software that could be useful in environmental epidemiologic research. Beyea and Hatch (1999) provide an in-depth discussion of geographic modeling for exposure assessment in environmental epidemiology, as well as an extensive literature review.…”

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confidence: 99%

Using Geographic Information Systems for Exposure Assessment in Environmental Epidemiology Studies

Nuckols

Ward

Järup

2004

Environ Health Perspect

260

149

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Geographic information systems (GIS) are being used with increasing frequency in environmental epidemiology studies. Reported applications include locating the study population by geocoding addresses (assigning mapping coordinates), using proximity analysis of contaminant source as a surrogate for exposure, and integrating environmental monitoring data into the analysis of the health outcomes. Although most of these studies have been ecologic in design, some have used GIS in estimating environmental levels of a contaminant at the individual level and to design exposure metrics for use in epidemiologic studies. In this article we discuss fundamentals of three scientific disciplines instrumental to using GIS in exposure assessment for epidemiologic studies: geospatial science, environmental science, and epidemiology. We also explore how a GIS can be used to accomplish several steps in the exposure assessment process. These steps include defining the study population, identifying source and potential routes of exposure, estimating environmental levels of target contaminants, and estimating personal exposures. We present and discuss examples for the first three steps. We discuss potential use of GIS and global positioning systems (GPS) in the last step. On the basis of our findings, we conclude that the use of GIS in exposure assessment for environmental epidemiology studies is not only feasible but can enhance the understanding of the association between contaminants in our environment and disease.

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“…The study also found that geocoding status was independently associated with air pollution exposures. In addition, rural addresses are more difficult to locate due to the use of rural roads and post office boxes (15, 29). This pattern is consistent with our study which found that the majority of ungeocoded addresses were in rural areas.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential selection bias associated with using geocoded birth records for epidemiologic research

Mao

et al. 2016

Annals of Epidemiology

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Purpose There is an increasing use of geocoded birth registry data in environmental epidemiology research. Ungeocoded records are routinely excluded. Methods We used classification and regression tree analysis (CART) and logistic regression to investigate potential selection bias associated with this exclusion among all singleton Florida births in 2009 (N=210,285). Results The rate of unsuccessful geocoding was 11.5% (n=24,171). This ranged between 0% to 100% across zip codes. Living in a rural zip code was the strongest predictor of being ungeocoded. Other predictors for geocoding status varied with urbanity status. In urban areas, maternal race [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) ranging between 1.08 for Hispanic to 1.18 for Black compared to White], maternal age [aOR: 1.16 (1.10-1.23) for ages 20-34 compared to <20], maternal nativity [aOR: 1.20 (1.15, 1.25) for Non-US vs. US born], delivery at a birth center [aOR: 1.72(1.49, 2.00 compared to hospital delivery)], multiparity [aOR: 0.91 (0.88, 0.94)], maternal smoking [aOR: 0.82 (0.76-0.88)] and having non-private insurance [aOR: 1.25 (1.20-1.30) for Medicaid vs. private insurance] were significantly associated with being ungeocoded. In rural areas, births delivered at birth center [aOR: 2.91(1.80-4.73)] or home [aOR: 1.94(1.28-2.95) had increased odds compared to hospital births. The characteristics predictive of being ungeocoded were also significantly associated with adverse birth outcomes such as low birthweight and preterm delivery, and the association for maternal age was different when ungeocoded births were included and excluded. Conclusions Geocoding status is not random. Women with certain exposure-outcome characteristics may be more likely to be ungeocoded and excluded, indicating potential selection bias.

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Geographic information systems: their use in environmental epidemiologic research.

Cited by 174 publications

References 11 publications

Changes in Blood Lead Levels Associated with Use of Chloramines in Water Treatment Systems

Changes in Blood Lead Levels Associated with Use of Chloramines in Water Treatment Systems

Using Geographic Information Systems for Exposure Assessment in Environmental Epidemiology Studies

Potential selection bias associated with using geocoded birth records for epidemiologic research

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