[Maps of epidemiological rates: a Bayesian approach]

Cad Saude Publica. 1998 Oct-Dec;14(4):713-23. doi: 10.1590/s0102-311x1998000400013.
[Article in Portuguese]

Abstract

This article presents statistical methods recently developed for the analysis of maps of disease rates when the geographic units have small populations at risk. They adopt the Bayesian approach and use intensive computational methods for estimating risk in each area. The objective of the methods is to separate the variability of rates due to differences between regions from the background risk due to pure random fluctuation. Risk estimates have a total mean quadratic error smaller than usual estimates. We apply these new methods to estimate infant mortality risk in the municipalities of the State of Minas Gerais in 1994.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • English Abstract
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bayes Theorem
  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • Epidemiologic Methods*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant Mortality*
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Risk
  • Urban Population / statistics & numerical data