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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Linda B. Crossette, MPH¹, Charles C. Branas, PhD¹, Douglas J. Wiebe, PhD², Emily A. Cohen, BA¹, and Joshua P. Metlay, MD PhD³. (1) Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 708 Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19104, 215 573-3311, lcrosset@cceb.med.upenn.edu, (2) Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania, 933 Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6021, (3) Philadelphia V A Medical Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine /CCEB, 712 Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19104

Studies of environmental risk factors for disease typically rely on geocoding addresses. We hypothesized that research participants would be more likely to provide their residential location by labeling a map than by reporting the nearest street intersection. This study compares a map-based method and an interviewer-assisted method for obtaining home location from healthy community-dwelling adults. Participants from five Pennsylvania counties were sampled using random digit dialing and randomly assigned to one of two data collection methods. We confirmed address during a screening call. Method 1 participants were mailed maps with instructions for labeling locations and a self-addressed stamped envelope for returning the maps. Method 2 participants took part in a telephone interview which elicited hometown, nearest street intersection and zip code. We analyzed the percent completed for both methods and assessed the validity of the data by geocoding known home address and self reported street intersections and calculating the level of agreement based on assignment of geocodes at the census tract level. Overall participation rate was 53% (256 of 479 contacted). Completion rates were 30% for the map-based and 88% for the interview method. Eighty-five percent of known home addresses and 65% of reported intersections geocoded. Ninety percent of addresses with geocodes for both known home address and subject reported intersections mapped to the same census tract. Participants were more likely to complete interviewer-assisted method. Nearest intersection data obtained by an interviewer-assisted method provides a valid proxy for known home address.

Learning Objectives: After viewing the poster, participants will be able to

1.list two or more barriers to obtaining address location from research participants
• define geocoding
• list two or more methods for obtaining residential location data from research participants and one strength and one weakness of each method

Keywords: Epidemiology, Public Health Research

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered