[Statistical approaches to test for spatial heterogeneity of relative risks of cause-specific mortality in Alto Vicentino Municipalities (years 1991-2000)].
OBJECTIVE
To review the statistical approaches to test for spatial heterogeneity of relative risks. Three different statistical tests (Gail, Martuzzi-Hills and Potthoff-Whittinghill) are reviewed and applied--as motivating example--to the analysis of cause-specific mortality records (years: 1991-2000) of the Municipalities belonging to the Local Health Unit Alto Vicentino.


METHODS
Spatial heterogeneity was found in 17 (Martuzzi-Hills) and 18 (Gail, Potthoff-Whittinghill) among 70 selected causes of death. Cohens Kappa test was chosen to assess the agreement among the tests (k = 0.596; p < or = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Spatial heterogeneity must be interpreted with great caution, taking into account the available evidence about risk factors for specific causes of death and carefully evaluating available exposure data.
Centro tematico di epidemiologia ambientale Regione Veneto. gblengio@ulss22.ven.it
Gianstefano
G
Blengio
Enzo
E
Coviello
Federica
F
Michieletto
Salvatore
S
Falcone
Francesca
F
Fedrizzi
Mario
M
Saugo
D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*; D004194:Disease / Q000145:classification*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*; D012307:Risk Factors