Using GIS to Create Deprivation Indices
Author Information
Author(s): Nathaniel Bell, Nadine Schuurman, Michael V. Hayes
Primary Institution: Simon Fraser University
Hypothesis
Can GIS-based methods improve the construction of socio-economic deprivation indices?
Conclusion
The OWA-based MCA method effectively incorporates expert opinion to quantify socio-economic gradients in health.
Supporting Evidence
- The study utilized a survey of Medical Health Officers to inform the deprivation index.
- Results indicated a clear gradient in self-rated health across different socio-economic quintiles.
- The OWA method allows for both subjective and objective weighting of variables.
Takeaway
This study shows that using expert opinions can help create better measures of how poor a neighborhood is, which can affect health.
Methodology
The study used a GIS-based Order Weighted Average (OWA) Multicriteria Analysis (MCA) to construct deprivation indices from survey data.
Potential Biases
Potential bias from the subjective nature of expert opinions used in the weighting process.
Limitations
The study may not fully account for all socio-economic factors affecting health outcomes.
Participant Demographics
Participants included Medical Health Officers from British Columbia.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
± 95% CI
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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