Contextual Analysis, Part 3:
Applying the Statistical Concepts to Real Data
Wednesday, July 11, 2007, 2:00-3:00 p.m., Eastern Time

Overview | Presenter Information | Agenda | Resources | Archive

Overview

This DataSpeak program is the third in a three-part series on the use of contextual analysis, an approach for assessing the effect of contextual, or neighborhood, characteristics along with individual-level factors in explaining disparities in health outcomes. Each program in the series features one of several university-based researchers funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) in the Health Resources and Services Administration to explore the effect of neighborhoods on our country's relatively high infant mortality rate as compared to other industrialized countries and wide racial disparities in infant mortality and preterm birth.

This series is intended to provide public health professionals with background and knowledge of concepts and statistical analysis techniques to begin developing and adapting the approach to their specific States and communities. The first program in the series, broadcast on May 16th, presented an overview of contextual analysis, including discussion of how neighborhoods are defined, what sources of data are available at the neighborhood level, and how neighborhood conditions can affect health. The second program, broadcast on June 6, described several different multilevel analysis techniques, the advantages and disadvantages of these different approaches, examples of their use for the analysis of preterm birth data, and the interpretation of statistical results.

The third program in the series, being held on July 11, will include real-world examples of analyses from the research sites funded by MCHB, the resources needed to implement these types of analyses, and the varied potential uses of multilevel modeling other than preterm birth and low birth weight outcomes. The program first covers the creation of an index of neighborhood deprivation from census data that is appropriate for the study of pregnancy related outcomes. The neighborhood deprivation index is then used to understand the relationship between deprivation and preterm birth across eight sites in the US. Finally, the program will briefly touch upon resources that are available for those who would like to gain a greater understanding or experience with multilevel modeling.