Abstract(s)
Systematic observation is increasingly used as a method to measure neighbourhood
characteristics thought to influence health inequalities. This article reports on
the theory-driven development of a new observation tool composed of reflective
indicators of neighbourhood characteristics believed to influence inequalities in
smoking. We also report the results of generalisability analyses conducted to
estimate the reliability (inter-rater reliability and temporal stability) of the
observation tool. We use the reliability results to reflect on the quality of the
measures and on the theoretical anchors of the tool. We conclude by making
recommendations to improve measures collected through systematic observation.