Re-engineering Mortality Locations from Hurricane Katrina Maps
Author Information
Author(s): Curtis Andrew J, Mills Jacqueline W, Leitner Michael
Primary Institution: Louisiana State University
Hypothesis
To what degree can confidential information in the form of a person's home residence be extracted from a map appearing in a journal article, especially if most traditional spatial reference layers are removed?
Conclusion
The study highlights the vulnerability of point data maps to re-engineering, suggesting a need for improved confidentiality guidelines.
Supporting Evidence
- Over 22% of re-engineered mortalities were within 5 meters of a street segment.
- 73% of New Orleans East pairs were closer than in any of the simulation runs.
- The study found that urban neighborhood structure significantly impacts the success of re-engineering.
Takeaway
This study shows that maps with point data can reveal where people live, even if they don't show many details, which could be a problem for privacy.
Methodology
The study used a published map of mortality locations from Hurricane Katrina and field validation to assess the accuracy of re-engineering addresses.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in the accuracy of re-engineering due to the destruction of many houses and the presence of mortality markings.
Limitations
The study's findings may not apply universally due to variations in urban structure and the specific context of Hurricane Katrina.
Participant Demographics
The study focused on mortality locations in Orleans Parish, New Orleans, following Hurricane Katrina.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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