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


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Zhou
Yi-biao
YB
The Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
Jiang
Qing-wu
QW
Zhao
Gen-ming
GM
D015982:Bias; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D004463:Ecology; D004813:Epidemiology; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013029:Space-Time Clustering