Administrative Censoring in Ecological Analyses of Autism and a Bayesian Solution
Joint Authors
Bartell, Scott M.
Lewandowski, Thomas A.
Source
Journal of Environmental and Public Health
Issue
Vol. 2011, Issue 2011 (31 Dec. 2011), pp.1-5, 5 p.
Publisher
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Publication Date
2011-05-08
Country of Publication
Egypt
No. of Pages
5
Main Subjects
Abstract EN
Widely cited ecological analyses of autism have reported associations with mercury emissions, with precipitation, and race at the level of counties or school districts.
However, state educational agencies often suppress any low numerical autism counts before releasing data—a phenomenon known as “administrative censoring.” Previous analyses did not describe appropriate methods for censored data analysis; common substitution or exclusion methods are known to introduce bias and produce artificially narrow confidence intervals.
We apply a Bayesian censored random effects Poisson model to reanalyze associations between 2001 Toxic Release Inventory reported mercury emissions and 2000-2001 autism counts in Texas.
Relative risk estimates for autism decreased from 4.44 (95% CI: 4.16, 4.74) per thousand lbs.
of air mercury emissions using a naive zero-substitution approach to 1.42 (95% CI: 1.09, 1.78) using the Bayesian approach.
Inadequate attention to censoring poses a serious threat to the validity of ecological analyses of autism and other health outcomes.
American Psychological Association (APA)
Bartell, Scott M.& Lewandowski, Thomas A.. 2011. Administrative Censoring in Ecological Analyses of Autism and a Bayesian Solution. Journal of Environmental and Public Health،Vol. 2011, no. 2011, pp.1-5.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-454103
Modern Language Association (MLA)
Bartell, Scott M.& Lewandowski, Thomas A.. Administrative Censoring in Ecological Analyses of Autism and a Bayesian Solution. Journal of Environmental and Public Health No. 2011 (2011), pp.1-5.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-454103
American Medical Association (AMA)
Bartell, Scott M.& Lewandowski, Thomas A.. Administrative Censoring in Ecological Analyses of Autism and a Bayesian Solution. Journal of Environmental and Public Health. 2011. Vol. 2011, no. 2011, pp.1-5.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-454103
Data Type
Journal Articles
Language
English
Notes
Includes bibliographical references
Record ID
BIM-454103