Spatial relationship quantification between environmental, socioeconomic and health data at different geographic levels.
Spatial health inequalities have often been analyzed in terms of socioeconomic and environmental factors. The present study aimed to evaluate spatial relationships between spatial data collected at different spatial scales. The approach was illustrated using health outcomes (mortality attributable to cancer) initially aggregated to the county level, district socioeconomic covariates, and exposure data modeled on a regular grid. Geographically weighted regression (GWR) was used to quantify spatial relationships. The strongest associations were found when low deprivation was associated with lower lip, oral cavity and pharynx cancer mortality and when low environmental pollution was associated with low pleural cancer mortality. However, applying this approach to other areas or to other causes of death or with other indicators requires continuous exploratory analysis to assess the role of the modifiable areal unit problem (MAUP) and downscaling the health data on the study of the relationship, which will allow decision-makers to develop interventions where they are most needed.
French National Institute for Industrial Environment and Risks, Parc Technologique Alata, BP 2, 60550 Verneuil-en-Halatte, France. Mahdi-Salim.SAIB@ineris.fr.
Mahdi-Salim
MS
Saib
French National Institute for Industrial Environment and Risks, Parc Technologique Alata, BP 2, 60550 Verneuil-en-Halatte, France. Julien.CAUDEVILLE@ineris.fr.
Julien
J
Caudeville
French National Institute for Industrial Environment and Risks, Parc Technologique Alata, BP 2, 60550 Verneuil-en-Halatte, France. Florence.CARRE@ineris.fr.
Florence
F
Carre
University Hospital of Amiens, Place Victor Pauchet Amiens 80054, France. Ganry.olivier@chu-amiens.fr.
Olivier
O
Ganry
Regional Observatory of Health and Social Issues in Picardie (OR2S), 3, rue des Louvels, Amiens 80036, France. Alain.trugeon@or2s.fr.
Alain
A
Trugeon
French National Institute for Industrial Environment and Risks, Parc Technologique Alata, BP 2, 60550 Verneuil-en-Halatte, France. Andre.CICOLELLA@ineris.fr.
Andre
A
Cicolella
D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis; D004435:Eating; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D001239:Inhalation; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*; D009532:Nickel / Q000032:analysis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D062206:Spatial Analysis
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D009532:Nickel