title: Verification of retail food outlet location data from a local health department using ground-truthing and remote-sensing technology: assessing differences by neighborhood characteristics.
abstract: Obtaining valid and accurate data on community food environments is critical for research evaluating associations between the food environment and health outcomes. This study utilized ground-truthing and remote-sensing technology to validate a food outlet retail list obtained from an urban local health department in Baltimore, Maryland in 2009. Ten percent of outlets (n=169) were assessed, and differences in accuracy were explored by neighborhood characteristics (96 census tracts) to determine if discrepancies were differential or non-differential. Inaccuracies were largely unrelated to a variety of neighborhood-level variables, with the exception of number of vacant housing units. Although remote-sensing technologies are a promising low-cost alternative to direct observation, this study demonstrated only moderate levels of agreement with ground-truthing.
authors: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, 624 N Broadway, Baltimore MD 21205, USA. lrossen@cdc.gov
authors: Lauren M
authors: LM
authors: Rossen
authors: Keshia M
authors: KM
authors: Pollack
authors: Frank C
authors: FC
authors: Curriero
mesh_terms: D015142:Baltimore; D003132:Commerce; D005523:Food Supply; D011635:Public Health Administration; D058998:Remote Sensing Technology; D012111:Residence Characteristics