title: Integrating data from multiple time-location measurement methods for use in exposure assessment: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and Air Pollution (MESA Air).
abstract: Tools to assess time-location patterns related to environmental exposures have expanded from reliance on time-location diaries (TLDs) and questionnaires to use of geospatial location devices such as data-logging Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment. The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and Air Pollution obtained typical time-location patterns via questionnaire for 6424 adults in six US cities. At a later time (mean 4.6 years after questionnaire), a subset (n=128) participated in high-resolution data collection for specific 2-week periods resulting in concurrent GPS and detailed TLD data, which were aggregated to estimate time spent in various microenvironments. During these 2-week periods, participants were observed to spend the most time at home indoors (mean of 78%) and a small proportion of time in-vehicle (mean of 4%). Similar overall patterns were reported by these participants on the prior questionnaire (mean home indoors: 75%; mean in-vehicle: 4%). However, individual micro-environmental time estimates measured over specific 2-week periods were not highly correlated with an individual's questionnaire report of typical behavior (Spearman's ρ of 0.43 for home indoors and 0.39 for in-vehicle). Although questionnaire data about typical time-location patterns can inform interpretation of long-term epidemiological analyses and risk assessment, they may not reliably represent an individual's short-term experience.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Marnie F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Hazlehurst
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Spalt
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Environmental Health, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho, USA.
authors.forename: Cynthia L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Curl
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Mark E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Davey
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Sverre
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vedal
authors.affiliation: Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Gregory L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.|Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.|Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Joel D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Kaufman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002947:Cities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States