Reliability and validity of observer ratings of neighborhoods.
OBJECTIVE
The objectives were to examine the validity and reliability of a five-item neighborhood measurement scale.


METHODS
Respondents were enrolled from two catchment areas: a poor inner city and a heterogeneous suburban area. Items combine for a total score of 5 (best) to 20 (worst). The authors compared scales across catchment areas and respondent ratings and assessed interviewer effects and retest reliability.


RESULTS
Suburban neighborhood scale scores were 3 points lower (higher socioeconomic status, SES) than the inner-city scores. There was a strong relationship between scores and participants' neighborhood ratings. The retest correlation was substantial (.81), but only two of five items achieved kappas above .75. In regression models, interviewer experience and residence and individual interviewers contributed to different ratings, although there was still a marked difference between catchment areas.


CONCLUSIONS
Observer ratings of neighborhoods show promise as a measure of neighborhood SES, despite problems with interviewer effects. Future work should improve objective criteria for ratings.
Rehabilitation Outcomes Research Center (RORC), North Florida/South Georgia VHS, Gainesville, FL, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, P.O. Box 10082, Gainesville, Florida 32610-0182, USA. eandresen@phhp.ufl.edu
Elena M
EM
Andresen
Theodore K
TK
Malmstrom
Douglas K
DK
Miller
Fredric D
FD
Wolinsky
D002391:Catchment Area, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013383:Suburban Population; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population