SEER*Stat Bridge Tutorial

In this exercise, you will create a map in ArcMap from SEER*Stat output. You will be using an already created matrix.

If you are just getting started with SEER*Stat, be sure to do the introductory tutorials first.

Problem Statement

Create a map from the SEER*Stat matrix mortality_by_state.sim.

The matrix contains mortality data from 1969 - 2004 by StateFIPS, Sex, and Cause of Death (All Causes, All Malignant Cancers, Colon & Rectum, and Lung & Bronchus).

The StateFIPS SEER*Stat user-defined variable was used in this matrix and is available for download with SEER*Stat Bridge.

Step 1: Open Matrix and Export the data

1. Download mortality_by_state.sim and open it in SEER*Stat.
2. From the Matrix menu, select Export > Text File.
3. Make sure the data file ends in .txt (and only has one period and no spaces in the filename).
4. Make the following selections in the options:
• Output Variables as: Numeric Represntation (mandatory)
• Line Delimiter: DOS/Windows (CR/LF)
• Missing Character: Space
• Field Delimiter: Comma
• Please check the following options: Remove All Thousands Separators (Commas) (mandatory) and Remove Flags (Footnote), Prefix and Suffix Characters (mandatory)
• Please make sure the following options are not checked: Enclose Fields Containing Delimiter in Quotes; Output Variable Names Before Data; Preserve Matrix Columns and Rename Fields
5. Click OK to export the data.

Step 2: Open ArcGIS Desktop (ArcMap) and add the State Shapefile of the U.S.

6. Once ArcGIS is open, add the US_State shapefile.

Step 3: Load data using SEER*Stat Bridge

7. If you do not have SEER*Stat Bridge installed, first download it and follow the installation instructions.
8. Click the SEER*Stat Bridge button (which looks like a red sigma with a green globe).
9. Click the Browse button to load the SEER*Stat Dictionary, and select the dictionary of the data exported in Step 1.
10. After you have selected the SEER*Stat Dictionary, the Output Filename text box should be automatically filled in. SEER*Stat Bridge will reformat the output so that it can be easily loaded into ArcMap.
11. Make sure the geographic variable (in this tutorial, "StateFIPS") is selected in the Join Variable.
12. Change the listbox next to Join to Layer to: US_State.
13. Click the Import button and then you should get a message that the Conversion completed successfully.
14. Then select the geographic merge variable for the shapefile/layer in the top list box (in this example, StateFIPS) and select the geographic merge variable from the SEER*Stat data in the bottom listbox (in this example, StateFIPS).
15. Click OK.

Step 4: Verify that the data merged successfully

16. Right-click with the mouse on the layer and select Open Attribute Table.
17. Scroll to the right and the cancer statistics should be visible. There should be a field for each cause of death/sex combination that was in the matrix. If not, start again with Step 1 and/or contact us at gistools@imsweb.com.

Step 5: Make a Map

• A map can be made now with the SEER*Stat data that has been reformated and joined to the states shapefile.
• Additionally, ColorTool can be used to classify the map and pick appropriate colors.