st: Contextual analysis

["Fernando Augusto Proietti" <proietti@medicina.ufmg.br>]

Dear all,

I am an epidemiologist, with some knowledge and training in biostatistics. I 
have a dataset, from a health survey we conducted. There are about 20,000 
participants. Participants are nested in what could be called in the US as 
census tracts.

Right now, I am planning a Contextual analysis (the dependent variable = 
Self-rated Health, 3 levels) and the explanatory variables measured at two 
levels:

Individual level: for example, age, sex, personal income, formal education

Aggregated level (Census tracts characteristics where participants are 
nested): for example, Average Income, Average Age, % of roads that have 
sidewalks.

How could I conduct analysis of this type in Stata ?

I am worried with what some authors report as " the residual correlation 
between outcomes within groups that may persist after accounting for 
individual-level and group-level variables included in the analysis" (For 
example: Kawachi I, Berkman L. Neighborhood and health. Chapter 3: The 
examination of neighborhood effects on health: conceptual and methodological 
issues related to the presence of multiple levels of organization. Oxford 
University Press,. 2003)

Thanks in advance,

Fernando A Proietti 
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