Authors
Donald P. Albert, Ph.D.
   Department of Geography and Geology
   Lee Drain Building 325
   Sam Houston State University
   Huntsville, 
   Texas 77341-2148
 
   E-mail Dr. Albert

Ferry Butar Butar, Ph.D.
   Department of Mathematics
   Lee Drain Building 439G
   Sam Houston State University
   Huntsville 
   Texas 77341-2206

   E-mail Dr. Butar

Title
Feasibility of Using Telephone, Association, and Licensure Directories
to Examine the Geographic Distribution of Naturopathic Physicians in
Oregon, Arizona, and Connecticut.

Abstract
Address information from the Yellow Pages and the American Association of 
Naturopathic Physicians (AANP) is too incomplete to map distributions of 
naturopathic physicians (N.D.’s). Although these sources are incomplete, 
their address fields contain business addresses which can be used to confirm 
or augment uncertain address fields in state licensure databases. The 
researchers compiled lists of N.D.’s from the Yellow Pages and the AANP. 
Names and names and addresses from these sources were matched to state 
licensure databases for Oregon, Arizona, and Connecticut. Next they used 
the Yellow Pages and AANP to confirm business addresses or replace suspected 
residential addresses in state licensure databases. Because of the 
availability of phone numbers contained within the licensure database for 
Arizona, a telephone survey of N.D.’s was conducted to estimate the remaining 
number of unconfirmed addresses for this state. Finally, the researchers 
combined address information from state licensure databases, Yellow Pages, 
and AANP directories to develop enhanced geographic databases that were 
used to produce proportional symbol maps of N.D. locations in Oregon, 
Arizona, and Connecticut. The largest number of matches occurred using 
a combination of AANP and Yellow Pages directories. Oregon had the best 
percent of business addresses (93%) without having to use outside address 
sources. Using AANP, the Yellow Pages, and survey estimates, 89% of 
Arizona’s state licensure address records were confirmed as business 
locations. Sixty-eight percent of Connecticut’s licensure address 
records were confirmed as business locations using the AANP and Yellow 
Pages directories. The Yellow Pages and AANP directories are not appropriate 
separately or in combination to produce a geographic database. These sources 
were incomplete; nevertheless, such directories were useful in confirming 
state licensure addresses when it is unknown whether the addresses listed 
by the licensing authorities represent residential or business locations.

Key Words: naturopathic physicians, geographic distribution

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