Abstract
A method of correlation analysis within a spatially moving window was applied to two sets of epidemiological/geochemical data in Norway, (1) mortality/disability rates of multiple sclerosis (MS) versus atmospheric fallout of Mg and concentrations of Se in overbank sediment, and (2) incidence rates of malignant melanoma of the skin (MM) versus concentrations of Ca and K in overbank sediment. It appears that n = 17 observation sites within the moving window is a practical compromise between noise in the data at small values of n and a spatial resolution good enough to detect trends in the distribution patterns of the correlation coefficient. For MS versus Mg, MS versus Se and MM versus Ca the correlation coefficients are generally negative and depict systematic distribution patterns with anomalous clusters of sites with good correlation. For MS versus Se the correlation coefficients also form an additional cluster of positive coefficients. Tests with permutated data show that more than 70% of the negative correlation coefficients for MS versus Mg and for MM versus Ca are both significantly different from zero at p<0.05, while less than 15% of those for MS versus Se are significant at the same level. For MM versus K the correlation coefficients are randomly distributed and not significantly different from zero. The described correlations may be effects of confounders and do not per se indicate any causal relationships. However, further research based on these results may well lead to the identification of possible aetiological factors.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ahlrot-Westerlund, B. 1980. A hypothesis concerning multiple sclerosis and its possible connection with disturbed fat metabolism in selenium deficiency. In: Låg, J. (ed.), Geomedical Aspects in Present and Future Research, pp. 103–114. The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, Oslo.
Brørvik, K. 1984. Selen og multippel sklerose (Selenium and Multiple Sclerosis). Geological Survey of Norway, Trondheim Open File Report 84.114, 63 p., (in Norwegian).
Bølviken, B. 1992. Influence of chemical climate on regional geochemical distribution patterns. In: Låg, J. (ed.) Chemical Climatology and Geomedical Problems, pp. 73–82. The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, Oslo.
Bølviken, B. and Nilsen, R. 1994. A statistical method for comparing epidemiological and geochemical data. In: Låg, J. (ed.) Geomedical Problems Related to Aluminium, Iron and Manganese, pp. 147–156. The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, Oslo.
CBS, 1979. Standard for kommuneklassifisering (Standard for Classification of Municipalities) Central Bureau of Statistics (Statistics Norway), Oslo, Håndbøker 35, 32 pp., (in Norwegian).
DNMI, 1994. Det norske meteorologiske institutt. The Norwegian Institute of Meteorology, Oslo. Precipitation data 1961–1990 made available on magnetic tape.
Glattre, E. 1982. Geomedisin. In: Natvig, H., Bjerkedal, T., Høstmark, A.T. and Vellar, O.D. (eds.) Forebyggende Medisin Vol. 2. (Preventive medicine, Vol. 2), pp. 10–20. Gyldendal Norsk Forlag, Oslo, (in Norwegian).
Glattre, E., Finne, T.E. Olesen, O. and Langmark, F. 1985. Atlas of Cancer Incidence in Norway 1970–79. Cancer Registry of Norway and The Norwegian Cancer Society, Oslo, 119 pp.
ICD8. 1965. Norwegian-Latin adaption of International Classification of Diseases of 1965. WHO, Geneva.
Kroglund, F., Hesthagen, T., Hindar, A., Raddum, G.G., Staurnes, M., Gausen, D. and Sandøy, S. 1994. Sur nedbør i Norge. Status, utviklingstendenser og tiltak. Utredning for D. N. (Acid precipitation in Norway. Status, development trends and mitigation). Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management, Trondheim, Report No. 1994–10, 98 p., (in Norwegian).
Kuldvere, A. 1989. Extraction of geological materials with mineral acids for the determination of arsenic, antimony, bismuth and selenium by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry. The Analyst, 114, 125–131.
Låg, J. and Steinnes, E. 1974. Soil selenium in relation to precipitation. Ambio, 3, 237–238.
Nilsen, R. 1992. Regional kartlegging av samvariasjon mellom geoparametre. (Regional mapping of covariation between geoparameters). Geological Survey of Norway, Trondheim, Open File Report 92.263, 13 pp., 3 appendices, 11 maps, 6 figures and 7 tables (in Norwegian with an English summary).
NILU, 1994. Norwegian Institute for Air Research. Data for the composition of precipitation made available on magnetic tape, see also SFT 1993.
Ødegard, M. 1981. The use of inductively coupled argon plasma (ICAP) atomic emission spectroscopy in the analysis of stream sediments. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 14, 119–130.
Olesen, O. 1982. Sammenstilling av geokjemiske og medisinske data i Norge. Sykdomsdata og geografiske/klimatiske faktorer (Comparing of Geochemical and Epidemiological Data in Norway. Disease Data and Geographical/Climatic Factors). Geological Survey of Norway, Trondheim, Open File Report 1494 T, (in Norwegian).
Ottesen, R. T., Bogen, J., Bølviken, B. and Volden, T. 1989. Overbank sediment: a representative sample medium for regional geochemical mapping. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 32, 257–277.
Ottesen, R. T., Bogen, J., Bølviken B. and Volden T. Geochemical Atlas of Norway. Geological Survey of Norway, Trondheim and Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Administration, Oslo (in press).
Øyen, Ø., Bølviken B. and Nilsen, R. 1990a. Geokjemisk karakterisering av norske kommuner og kommuneaggregater ved hjelp av flomsedimentdata (Geochemical Characterization of Norwegian Municipalities and Municipality Aggregates by Means of Overbank Sediment Data), Geological Survey of Norway, Trondheim, Open File Report 90.015, 8 pp., 11 appendices. (in Norwegian with an English summary).
Øyen, Ø., Bølviken, B. and Nilsen, R. 1990b. Kreftsykelighet i norske kommuner og kommuneaggregater (Cancer Morbidity in Norwegian Municipalities and Municipality Aggregates), Geological Survey of Norway, Trondheim, Open File Report 90.029, 7 pp., 6 appendices. (in Norwegian with an English summary).
Øyen, Ø., Bølviken, B. and Nilsen, R. 1990c. Oversikt over korrelasjoner mellom kreftsykelighet og kjemisk sammensetning av flomsedimenter. (An Overview of Correlations of Cancer Morbidity versus Composition of Overbank Sediments), Geological Survey of Norway, Trondheim, Open File Report 90.061, 8 pp., 4 appendices. (in Norwegian with an English summary).
Schalin, G. 1980. Multiple sclerosis and selenium. In: Låg, J. (ed.) Geomedical Aspects in Present and Future Research, pp. 81–102. The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, Oslo.
SFT, 1993. Statens forurensningstilsyn. Overvåking av langtransportert forurenset luft og nedbør (Monitoring of Polluted Long Transported Air and Precipitation). Norwegian Pollution Control Authority, Oslo, Yearly Report 533/93 (ISBN 82–577–2375–4), 296 pp., (in Norwegian).
Ukkelberg, Å., Bølviken, B. and Steinnes, E. 1994. Multippel sklerose og geokjemiske miljøparametre (Multiple Sclerosis and Geochemical Parameters of the Environment) Geological Survey of Norway, Trondheim, Open File Report 94.099, 14 pp. and 18 appendices (in Norwegian).
Westlund, K. 1970. Distribution and mortality time trend of multiple sclerosis and some other diseases in Norway, Acta Neurologica Scandinavica, 46, 455–483.
Westlund, K. 1982. Recent Statistical Data on Multiple Sclerosis and Some Other Diseases in Norway, Report 32, pp. 19–29. Nordic Council for Arctic Medical Research, Oslo.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bølviken, B., Nilsen, R. & Ukkelberg, Å. A new method for spatially moving correlation analysis in geomedicine. Environmental Geochemistry and Health 19, 143–153 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018410807648
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018410807648