Use of GIS Mapping as a Public Health Tool–-From Cholera to Cancer

The field of medical geographic information systems (Medical GIS) has become extremely useful in understanding the bigger picture of public health. The discipline holds a substantial capacity to understand not only differences, but also similarities in population health all over the world. The main goal of marrying the disciplines of medical geography, public health and informatics is to understand how countless health issues impact populations, and the trends by which these populations are affected. From the 1990s to today, this practical approach has become a valued and progressive system in analyzing medical and epidemiological phenomena ranging from cholera to cancer. The instruments supporting this field include geographic information systems (GIS), disease surveillance, big data, and analytical approaches like the Geographical Analysis Machine (GAM), Dynamic Continuous Area Space Time Analysis (DYCAST), cellular automata, agent-based modeling, spatial statistics and self-organizing maps. The positive effects on disease mapping have proven to be tremendous as these instruments continue to have a great impact on the mission to improve worldwide health care. While traditional uses of GIS in public health are static and lacking real-time components, implementing a space-time animation in these instruments will be monumental as technology and data continue to grow.

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Geographic Information Systems in Spatial Epidemiology and Public Health

Handbook of Spatial Epidemiology ◽

10.1201/b19470-9 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 87-116

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Information Systems ◽

Geographic Information Systems ◽

Spatial Epidemiology ◽

Geographic Information ◽

Epidemiology And Public Health

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Use of Geographic Information Systems in Infectious Disease Surveillance

Concepts and Methods in Infectious Disease Surveillance ◽

10.1002/9781118928646.ch20 ◽

2014 ◽

pp. 219-229 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Rebecca J. Eisen ◽

Lars Eisen

Keyword(s):

Infectious Disease ◽

Information Systems ◽

Geographic Information Systems ◽

Disease Surveillance ◽

Geographic Information ◽

Infectious Disease Surveillance

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Geographic Information Systems and Public Health

10.4018/978-1-59140-756-0 ◽

2006 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Andrew Curtis ◽

Michael Leitner

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Information Systems ◽

Geographic Information Systems ◽

Geographic Information

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GIS Mapping of Driving Behavior Based on Naturalistic Driving Data

ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information ◽

10.3390/ijgi8050226 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (5) ◽

pp. 226 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

José Balsa-Barreiro ◽

Pedro M. Valero-Mora ◽

José L. Berné-Valero ◽

Fco-Alberto Varela-García

Keyword(s):

Information Systems ◽

Geographic Information Systems ◽

Driving Behavior ◽

Geographic Information ◽

Limited Resources ◽

Gis Mapping ◽

Research Groups ◽

Naturalistic Driving ◽

Gis Software ◽

Operational Capacity

Naturalistic driving can generate huge datasets with great potential for research. However, to analyze the collected data in naturalistic driving trials is quite complex and difficult, especially if we consider that these studies are commonly conducted by research groups with somewhat limited resources. It is quite common that these studies implement strategies for thinning and/or reducing the data volumes that have been initially collected. Thus, and unfortunately, the great potential of these datasets is significantly constrained to specific situations, events, and contexts. For this, to implement appropriate strategies for the visualization of these data is becoming increasingly necessary, at any scale. Mapping naturalistic driving data with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) allows for a deeper understanding of our driving behavior, achieving a smarter and broader perspective of the whole datasets. GIS mapping allows for many of the existing drawbacks of the traditional methodologies for the analysis of naturalistic driving data to be overcome. In this article, we analyze which are the main assets related to GIS mapping of such data. These assets are dominated by the powerful interface graphics and the great operational capacity of GIS software.

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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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