[Study on bias and confounding in 'Spatial Epidemiology']

Zhonghua Liu Xing Bing Xue Za Zhi. 2005 Feb;26(2):135-9.
[Article in Chinese]

Abstract

Objective: To explore the biases and confoundings in Spatial Epidemiological studies.

Methods: Possible bias and confounding and their impact on study results in Spatial Epidemiology were analyzed in given examples.

Results: In Spatial Epidemiology, biases related to ascertainment/numerator/denominator induced by the choice of the disease induction/latency period and mis-specification of exposure-disease model, exposure inaccuracy, spatial dependency, significance tests etc. were involved, as well as to ecological, socio-economic confoundings factors.

Conclusion: The sources of bias in 'Spatial Epidemiology' were both numerous and complex, that might be overestimated or underestimated on the study results. Hence, careful interpretation of such studies was needed.

MeSH terms

  • Bias*
  • Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic*
  • Ecology
  • Epidemiology*
  • Geographic Information Systems
  • Geography
  • Humans
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Space-Time Clustering