The use of a microcomputer in a biomedical research project

The use of an inexpensive microcomputer system in an NIH-supported biomedical research project is explained. Computer programs which store and analyze air pollution data; records from hospitals, doctors' offices, pharmacies, and schools; and data from a community public health survey are described. The analysis consists primarily of calculations of various temporal and geographical correlation coefficients in order to determine whether particulate air pollution is affecting public health in southern Puerto Rico.