Methods clarification

Eric Scott Sills   (2006-08-06 16:47)  Murphy Womens Center

This manuscript presents highly reliable data in a novel way, designed to facilitate congressional accountability (and funding) for a vital public health objective. This is a laudable goal and the authors are to be commended in this important effort.

The authors indicate that many (n=426) congressional districts do not follow state OR county boundaries, and provide examples of congressional districts that are equivalent to state boundaries (because several states' low population only equate to one congressional representative).

This warrants a minor point of clarification not presented in the article. All U.S. Congressional district delineations must repsect a state's boundary; in no case may a district include territory of more than one state. Accordingly, county level data may indeed beome partitioned into any number of federal congressional districts, but never state level data.

Competing interests

The correspondent declares no competing interest.

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