Match rate and positional accuracy of two geocoding methods for epidemiologic research
Abstract
Purpose This study compares the match rate and positional accuracy of two geocoding methods: the popular geocoding tool in ArcGIS 9.1 and the Centrus GeoCoder for ArcGIS. Methods We first geocoded 11,016 Texas addresses in a case-control study using both methods and obtained the match rate of each method. We then randomly selected 200 addresses from those geocoded by using both methods and obtained geographic coordinates of the 200 addresses by using a global positioning system (GPS) device. Of the 200 addresses, 110 were case maternal residence addresses and 90 were control maternal residence addresses. These GPS-surveyed coordinates were used as the "true" coordinates to calculate positional errors of geocoded locations. We used Wilcoxon signed rank test to evaluate whether differences in positional errors from the two methods were statistically significantly different from zero. In addition, we calculated the sensitivity and specificity of the two methods for classifying maternal addresses within 1500 m of toxic release inventory facilities when distance is used as a proxy of exposure. Results The match rate of the Centrus GeoCoder was more than 10% greater than that of the geocoding tool in ArcGIS 9.1. Positional errors with the Centrus GeoCoder were less than those of the geocoding tool in ArcGIS 9.1, and this difference was statistically significant. Sensitivity and specificity of the two methods are similar. Conclusions Centrus GeoCoder for ArcGIS for geocoding gives g…
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Articles about geocoding patient address data evaluated the ability of specific geocoding tools, such as ArcGIS, to increase data quality by improving match rates or positional accuracy.
“Articles about geocoding patient address data, particularly, evaluated the ability of specific geocoding tools, such as ArcGIS, to increase data quality by improving match rates or positional accuracy.54,73–75”
From The quality of social determinants data in the electronic health record: a systematic review (2021) · cites this paper as [75]
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“Estimates of ‘typical’ positional errors for residential addresses range from 25 to 168 m (Bonner et al. 2003; Cayo & Talbot 2003; Dearwent, Jacobs, & Halbert 2001; Karimi & Durcik 2004; Ratcliffe 2001; Schootman et al., 2007; Strickland, Siffel, Gardner, Berzen, & Correa, 2007; Ward et al. 2005; Whitsel et al., 2006;…”
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“Most geocoders provide match rates and match type as metrics 18,39,52,64,65 to describe the quality of the results.”
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“…studies have evaluated the positional difference between different geocoding methods (Cayo and Talbot, 2003; Lovasi et al., 2007; Schootman et al., 2007; Mazumdar et al., 2008), few have done so with address data from multiple locations in the same study (Ward et al., 2005; Zhan et al., 2006).”
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“All records were geocoded using TeleAtlas EZ-Locate web-based geocoding software (Tele Atlas, 2011; Zhan et al., 2006); 99% of establishments in both databases were geocoded to the street level.”
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“Within a health context, geocoding – the process of converting textual information describing a location into one or more digital geographic representations – is used for such diverse processes as linking the individual-level addresses associated with health records to census enumeration units for disease surveillance…”
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“Zhan et al. (2006) found that difference in match rate and positional accuracy of two geocoding methods did not alter exposure classification using a 1500 m buffer around Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) facilities.”
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“In a review of 12 different investigations, Zandbergen (2009) found that estimates of “typical” positional errors for residential addresses ranged from 25-168 meters (Bonner et al., 2003; Cayo and Talbot, 2003; Dearwent et al., 2001; Karimi and Durcik, 2004; Ratcliffe, 2001; Schootman et al., 2007; Strickland et al.,…”
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“The errors typically range from 31 to 168 m (Bonner et al. 2003; Cayo and Talbot 2003; Dearwent et al. 2001; Karimi et al. 2004; Ratcliffe 2001; Schootman et al. 2007; Strickland et al. 2007; Ward et al. 2005; Whitsel et al. 2006; Zandbergen 2007; Zhan et al. 2006; Zimmerman et al. 2007).”
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- Authors
- Zhan, F. B., Brender, J. D., DE Lima, I., Suarez, L., & Langlois, P. H.
- Affiliations
- Texas Department of State Health Services (US)
- Corresponding author
- Zhan, F. Benjamin
- Venue
- Annals of Epidemiology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2006-11
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 842-849
- ISSN
- 1047-2797 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2011712418
- Cited by
- 75
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 3.04
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Annals of Epidemiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- U.S. Public Health Service (U50/CCU613232)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Health, Environment, Cognitive Aging
- Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Statistical Methods in Epidemiology
- Social Sciences › Geography, Planning and Development › Geographic Information Systems Studies
- Keywords
- geocoding, positional accuracy, match rate, case-control study, sensitivity and specificity
- MeSH terms
- Epidemiologic Methods, Humans, Postal Service, Texas, Reproducibility of Results, Topography, Medical, Databases as Topic, Geographic Information Systems
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