A Comparison of Design-Based and Model-Based Analysis of Sample Surveys in Geography

Sample surveys are routinely used to gather primary data in human geography research. We highlight the difference between design-based analysis and model-based analysis of sample surveys and emphasize the advantages of using the design-based approach with these data. As an example, we demonstrate differences in results from model-based and design-based analyses of cancer prevalence in a population of predominantly minority women in North Carolina and South Carolina. The results from the two approaches reveal differences in population estimates of numerous variables and a different conclusion regarding the significance of an explanatory variable in a logistic regression model to explain colon cancer prevalence.