Using Geographic Information Systems to Match Local Health Needs With Public Health Services and Programs

<p>Accountable Care Organizations (ACO) in the United States of America (USA) and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) in the United Kingdom (UK) are new proposed organizations in health services both tasked with a role which includes improving public health. Although there are very significant differences between the UK and USA health systems there appears to be a similar confusion as to how ACO and CCG will regard and address public or population health. The role of ACO in improving population health and evaluating the health needs of their registered and insured patients remains ill-defined and poorly explored. Likewise, in the current UK National Health Service (NHS) reorganisation, control and commissioning of appropriate local health services are passing from Primary Care Trusts (PCT) to new cross-organizational structures (CCG). CCG groups aim to be, like ACO, physician led. They will also assume a role for public or population health, but this role, like that of the newly-forming ACO, is currently unclear. Lessons learned from the USA and UK experience of new organizations tasked with a role in improving public health may inform mechanisms for physician led organizations in the UK and the USA to assess health needs, monitor population health information and improve population health outcomes.</p>

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Studying Vector-Borne Disease Transmission in Public Health Education Using a Geospatial Curriculum Approach

Pedagogy in Health Promotion ◽

10.1177/2373379919827616 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 88-101

Author(s):

Rajika Emily Reed ◽

Alec Bodzin

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Information Systems ◽

Geographic Information Systems ◽

Health Education ◽

Disease Transmission ◽

Public Health Education ◽

Geographic Information ◽

Content Learning ◽

Vector Borne ◽

Health Content

Geospatial thinking and reasoning (GSTR) skills are currently not routinely integrated into public health curriculum for undergraduate students in colleges or universities. However, integrating GSTR skills into curriculum has been shown to increase spatial thinking skills, which leads to better cognitive thinking and problem solving skills. An Examining Vector-Borne Disease Transmission (EVBDT) curriculum unit was developed using the geospatial curriculum approach to investigate malaria, dengue fever, and zika disease spread in the environment, using patterns, data, and sociodemographic factors. The purpose of this design-based research study was to understand public health content learning and GSTR skill acquisition through use of the geospatial curriculum approach among students ( n = 95) enrolled in undergraduate public health content classes. Data sources included a classroom observation instrument; pretest and posttest measures for the Spatial Habits of the Mind survey; a pretest, Posttest 1, and delayed Posttest 2 EVBDT assessment that included public health content and GSTR skill items; and a postimplementation survey to understand students’ perceptions of geographic information systems use in the curriculum. Findings revealed significant mean differences showing growth in public health content learning and GSTR skills. The findings provide support that Web geographic information systems with appropriate curriculum design can engage students and affect both learning outcomes and GSTR skills in public health education.

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