TY - JOUR T1 - Social epidemiology, intra-neighbourhood correlation, and generalised estimating equations JF - Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health JO - J Epidemiol Community Health SP - 914 LP - 914 DO - 10.1136/jech.57.11.914 VL - 57 IS - 11 AU - K R Petronis AU - J C Anthony Y1 - 2003/11/01 UR - http://jech.bmj.com/content/57/11/914.1.abstract N2 - The recent editorial by Merlo1 offers an interesting critique of the generalised estimating equations (GEE) analysis of a paper published in the same issue of the journal. In the editorial, the author notes that the paper’s GEE analysis treats “the intra-neighbourhood correlation as a ‘nuisance’ that needs to be adjusted in the analysis but not explicity investigated” (page 550).The editorial then becomes a call for an alternative, more innovative approach in social epidemiology: “Estimation of the extent to which individuals within a given neighbourhood are correlated with one another in relation to health (that is, the concept of intra-neighbourhood correlation) has value in the context of ideas about the efficacy of focusing intervention on places instead of people” (page 551 … ER -