Abstract
This study examined the sources of error involved in geocoding, by systematically evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of three widely used tools for geocoding. We tested them against a random sample of addresses from a state administrative address master file and found considerable variation in identification of census block geocodes of addresses. This high variation was mainly attributable to differences in preprocessing of addresses before geocoding and the reference street data used for geocoding. Preprocessing includes not only parsing and standardizing, but also correcting addresses against the US Postal Service Zip+4 Database, the master mailing address database maintained and updated regularly by USPS.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Healthy People 2010, Vol. I, 2nd edn. <http://www.healthypeople.gov/document/tableofcontents.htm> (Accessed on Oct. 2003).
CDC Cooperative Agreement Funding Opportunities. <http://www.cdc-cafunding.org/peps/2003peps/pep008.htm> (Accessed on Oct. 2003).
McElroy, J. A., Remington, P. L., Trentham-Dietz, A., Robert, S. A., and Newcomb, P. A., Geocoding addresses from a large population-based study: Lessons learned. Epidemiology 14(4):399–407, 2003.
Krieger, N., Waterman, P., Lemieux, K., Zierler, S., and Hogan, J. W., On the wrong side of the tracts? Evaluating the accuracy of geocoding in public health research. Am. J. Public Health 91(7):1114–1116, 2001.
Krieger, N., Place, space, and health: GIS and epidemiology. Epidemiology 14(4):384–385, 2003.
Bonner, M. R., Han, D., Nie, J., Rogerson, P., Vena, J. E., and Freudenheim, J. L., Positional accuracy of geocoded addresses in epidemiologic research. Epidemiology 14(4):408–412, 2003.
Hurley, S. E., Saunders, T. M., Nivas, R., Hertz, A., and Reynolds, P., Post office box addresses: A challenge for geographic information system-based studies. Epidemiology 14(4):386–391, 2003.
Cochinwala, M., Dalal, S., Elmagarmid, A. K., and Verykios, V. S., Record Matching: Past, Present and Future. <http://www.cs.nyu.edu/cs/faculty/shasha/papers/verykios085.pdf> (Accessed on Sept. 2003).
Goerge, R., Voorhis, V. J., and Lee, B. J., Illinois's longitudinal and relational child and family research database. Soc. Sci. Comp. Rev. 12(3):351–365, 1994.
National Research Council. Record Linkage Techniques-1997. Proc. Int. Workshop Exposition, 1999. <http://www.nap.edu/books/NI000997/html/> (Accessed on Sept. 2003).
Jaro, M. A., Advances in Record-Linkage Methodology as Applied to Matching the 1985 Census of Tampa, Florida. J. Am. Stat. Assoc. 84(406):414–420, 1989.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yang, DH., Bilaver, L.M., Hayes, O. et al. Improving Geocoding Practices: Evaluation of Geocoding Tools. Journal of Medical Systems 28, 361–370 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOMS.0000032851.76239.e3
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOMS.0000032851.76239.e3