Sampling at community level by using satellite imagery and geographical analysis

Abstract

In the development of a geographical sampling frame, the use of Google Earth satellite imagery and geographical software appeared to be an efficient alternative to the use of a demographic surveillance system. The use of a complete list of household coordinates reduced the time needed to locate households in the random sample. Our approach to generate a sampling frame is accurate, has utility beyond morbidity studies and appears to be a cost-effective option in resource-poor settings.