Statistical Validation of a Web-Based GIS Application and Its Applicability to Cardiovascular-Related Studies

Jae Eun Lee, Jung Hye Sung and Mohamad Malouhi
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Jae Eun Lee: Research Centers in Minority Institutions Translational Research Network Data Coordinating Center, 1230 Raymond Road, Jackson, MS 39204, USA
Jung Hye Sung: Research Centers in Minority Institutions Translational Research Network Data Coordinating Center, 1230 Raymond Road, Jackson, MS 39204, USA
Mohamad Malouhi: Research Centers in Minority Institutions Translational Research Network Data Coordinating Center, 1230 Raymond Road, Jackson, MS 39204, USA

IJERPH, 2015, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Purpose: There is abundant evidence that neighborhood characteristics are significantly linked to the health of the inhabitants of a given space within a given time frame. This study is to statistically validate a web-based GIS application designed to support cardiovascular-related research developed by the NIH funded Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Translational Research Network (RTRN) Data Coordinating Center (DCC) and discuss its applicability to cardiovascular studies. Methods: Geo-referencing, geocoding and geospatial analyses were conducted for 500 randomly selected home addresses in a U.S. southeastern Metropolitan area. The correlation coefficient, factor analysis and Cronbach’s alpha (?) were estimated to quantify measures of the internal consistency, reliability and construct/criterion/discriminant validity of the cardiovascular-related geospatial variables (walk score, number of hospitals, fast food restaurants, parks and sidewalks). Results: Cronbach’s ? for CVD GEOSPATIAL variables was 95.5%, implying successful internal consistency. Walk scores were significantly correlated with number of hospitals ( r = 0.715; p < 0.0001), fast food restaurants ( r = 0.729; p < 0.0001), parks ( r = 0.773; p < 0.0001) and sidewalks ( r = 0.648; p < 0.0001) within a mile from homes. It was also significantly associated with diversity index ( r = 0.138, p = 0.0023), median household incomes ( r = ?0.181; p < 0.0001), and owner occupied rates ( r = ?0.440; p < 0.0001). However, its non-significant correlation was found with median age, vulnerability, unemployment rate, labor force, and population growth rate. Conclusion: Our data demonstrates that geospatial data generated by the web-based application were internally consistent and demonstrated satisfactory validity. Therefore, the GIS application may be useful to apply to cardiovascular-related studies aimed to investigate potential impact of geospatial factors on diseases and/or the long-term effect of clinical trials.

Keywords: Statistical validation; web-based GIS application; walkability; accessibility to healthcare facilities; density of fast-food restaurant; social determinants of cardiovascular disease (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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