| Methods for Investigating Localized Clustering of Disease Contributor(s): Alexander, F. E. (Editor), Boyle, P. (Editor) |
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ISBN: 9283221354 ISBN-13: 9789283221357 Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA OUR PRICE: $41.80 Product Type: Paperback Published: June 1997 Annotation: Methods for investigating generalized spatial clustering of disease in human populations have only recently become available. This volume presents the outcome of a unique practical test of these methods, in which authors of several newly-developed approaches conducted their own blind analyses of over 50 artificial datasets, some random, some generated by clustering processes. Results were then compared with the known spatial structure. An historical view of leukaemia clustering is also included. This book will be of particular interest to epidemiologists and public health specialists with responsibility for analysing childhood leukaemia and other rare diseases for which the phenomenon of clustering may offer important clues to aetiology. It will also be useful for statisticians with an interest in analysis of spatial distributions of rare disease. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Medical | Epidemiology - Medical | Diagnosis - Science | Life Sciences - Botany |
| Dewey: 614.407 |
| LCCN: 97183624 |
| Series: IARC Scientific Publications |
| Physical Information: 0.58" H x 7" W x 10" (1.06 lbs) 276 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Since the beginning of this century, clusters of certain forms of cancer--particularly leukemia in children and Hodgkin's disease--have been reported around locations of specific environmental hazards. Identification of such clusters is not an easy task, since there is no exact definition of what a cluster is. This monograph describes the variety of statististical techniques cuurently in use, and their application to simulated data-sets chosen to represent a range of clustering scenarios. The scientists who developed these techniques were invited to apply their methodology to these data-sets and to share their conclusions in this volume. In addition, these researchers describe in complete detail how they proceeded with the analysis, since an element of subjectivity figures prominently in the application and interpretation of some of these methods. The identification and analysis of disease clusters can yield significant clues in epidemiologic research, and as such will continue to be an important subject of cancer research and epidemiology for the foreseeable future. |