CLUSTER version 3.1

Description

To the epidemiologist, especially those working with cancer, birth defects, or environmental and occupational exposures, disease clusters are an enigma. This software is designed to help the researcher determine if there is a statistically significant chance that a cluster occurred other than by random phenomenon. Since the evaluation of disease clusters is a complex task, it is also important that the user have familiarity with cluster investigation and analysis before attempting to use this software.

The software includes 12 statistical methods that analyze the significance of a cluster using techniques that evaluate, time, space, and both time and space clustering. The software is programmed with three major categories, six subcategories, and twelve analysis procedures. These categories and methods of analysis are:

  1. CASE DATA
    1. Case pairs
      • KNOX
      • BARTON
    2. Moving Window
      • SCAN
      • CHEN
  2. CELL DATA
    1. Probability Cell
      • PERSON
      • REMSA
    2. Geographic Cell
      • OHNO
      • GRIMSON
  3. SURVEILLANCE
    1. Time Series
      • TEXAS
      • POISSON
    2. Birth Defects
      • SETS
      • CUSUM
Selection of method of analysis may be based on the type of data available. Methods can be grouped into two categories based on whether individual data is available (KNOX, BARTON, SCAN, CHEN, PEARSON, REMSA, POISSON, SETS, and CUSUM) or just population rates of morbidity and mortality (TEXAS, OHON, GRIMSON). Examples of each method are presented in the manual along with sample datasets.

Download and Install

This software is designed to run on a DOS (version 3.2 or higher) compatible personal computers (386 or higher) and requires a minimum of 512K of RAM. It also requires 912K of hard drive space during installation and 619K of storage on the C: Drive after it is installed.

Save your downloaded file (CLUSTR.EXE [331K]) to the C:\ directory. At the C:> prompt on your PC, type CLUSTR and then CINSTALL to install the software on your PC. The CLUSTR.EXE file is an automated installation program. This is a freeware package and may be freely distributed.

Type CLUSTER from the C:\CLUSTER subdirectory (after installation is complete) to start the Cluster software package. The user's manual (CLUSTER.MAN) is written in Wordperfect 5.1 and can be found in the C:\CLUSTER subdirectory.

For further technical assistance with software installation, call Richard Wendt at (404) 639-6203.

ATSDR Home Page
Richard Wendt / rdw2@cdc.gov