Some methods for investigating spatial clustering, with epidemiological applications

The paper considers the problem of identifying spatial clustering, for instance of one group of individuals in relation to the spatial distribution of another. First, some of the literature is reviewed, some operational problems of practical investigations are discussed and a data set is introduced that involves a group of laryngeal cancer patients and a group of lung cancer patients in south Lancashire. Two techniques, an integrated squared difference statistic and a two-dimensional version of the scan statistic, are then outlined, some of their properties are discussed and they are applied to the data set. The final section takes stock of the data analysis and the characteristics of the techniques.