Potential biases due to geocoding error in spatial analyses of official data

Title: Potential biases due to geocoding error in spatial analyses of official data
Creator: Hay, Geoff; Kypri, Kypros; Whigham, Peter; Langley, John
Relation: Health & Place Vol. 15, Issue 2, p. 562-567
Publisher Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2008.09.002
Publisher: Elsevier
Resource Type: journal article
Date: 2009
Description: Geospatial methods have been used extensively to examine associations between alcohol outlet density and various harms; however, the literature offers too little methodological detail to assess possible geocoding biases in these studies. We used New Zealand liquor licensing and crime data to assess geocoding error. For the year with the best data, 69% of offences could be accurately mapped (91% of those in urban areas, 38% in rural areas). There was considerable urban–rural variation in the accuracy and specificity of location data. If similar error exists in other jurisdictions, previous findings may be biased. Greater consideration should be given to the effects of data quality in geospatial studies, and geocoding methods should be reported explicitly.
Subject: outlet density; alcohol; crime; GIS; geospatial; bias
Identifier: uon:7142
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/806514
Identifier: ISSN:1353-8292
Reviewed

		Thumbnail	File	Description	Size	Format