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Using GPS to Measure the Interaction Between Individuals and Their Neighbourhood

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Neighbourhood Structure and Health Promotion

Abstract

Studying the interaction between individual health and their neighbourhood characteristics has become increasingly popular. Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are increasingly used to assess the exact location of neighbourhood residents and the level of exposure to neighbourhood characteristics. This chapter provides the reader with a theoretical background and practical advice for GPS application in research and describes what a GPS device is and how GPS data can be processed. Furthermore, it uses examples to describe how GPS can be used in studies on the relationship between neighbourhood and health. The chapter ends with an overview of advantages and considerations

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Position error is often expressed as the “circular error probable” (CEP). A CEP of 5 m means that 50 % of the position measurements are within a circle with a radius of 5 m around the actual location and that the other 50 % of measurements are outside of that circle.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO + Institute, VU Medical Center, 7057, 1007 MB, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Jolanda Maas

  2. Department of Urban Environment and Safety, Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), 49, 2600 AA, Delft, The Netherlands

    Reinier P. Sterkenburg

  3. Department of Life Style, Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), 2215, 2301 CE, Leiden, The Netherlands

    Sanne I. de Vries

  4. Department of Urban Environment and Safety, Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), 80015, 3508 TA, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Frank Pierik

Authors
  1. Jolanda Maas
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  2. Reinier P. Sterkenburg
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  3. Sanne I. de Vries
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  4. Frank Pierik
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jolanda Maas .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Unit for Health Promotion Research, University of Southern Denmark, Niels Bohrs Vej 9-10, Esbjerg, 6700, Denmark

    Christiane Stock

  2. , MRC Social & Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Lilybank Gardens 4, Glasgow, G12 8RZ, United Kingdom

    Anne Ellaway

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Maas, J., Sterkenburg, R.P., de Vries, S.I., Pierik, F. (2013). Using GPS to Measure the Interaction Between Individuals and Their Neighbourhood. In: Stock, C., Ellaway, A. (eds) Neighbourhood Structure and Health Promotion. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6672-7_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6672-7_9

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-6671-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-6672-7

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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