the air we breathe

the food we eat

the water we drink

the viruses we are exposed to 

the health services we access 

MATTER

Learn how GIS, Geographic Information, Earth Observation data can be used for understanding health risks and outcomes

Geographic information, geospatial technologies and spatial data science for health. Pp376. CRC Taylor & Francis.

Interested in learning how GIS and Earth Observation data and geospatial technologies can be used for better understanding health risks and outcomes?

This book provides health professionals with the necessary GIS and data analysis skills. A variety of case studies using different methods to address a wide range of infectious diseases are used to provide a solid understanding and hands-on practice. In this book you will learn how to use GIS to map health risks, identify patterns of disease in time and place and assess accessibility to health care services. 

Work through this book to develop the critical GIS analytical skills to build the knowledge you need for tackle a variety of public health challenges.  Each chapter ends with an activity that integrates GIS skills and GIScience theory with epidemiology. Not only will you be developing the necessary GIS skills but also the relevant data science skills and how these integrate with epidemiology.

1. Geographic information and geospatial technologies:  applicability for health and disease

2. Epidemiology of disease

3. Statistics, analysis,  visualizations and more

4. Disaster Epidemiology. Health Emergencies and Hazard Considerations: surveillance to communication

5. Data in a nutshell: Geospatial data, structuring data, managing data and ethics

6. Health and disease in dynamically changing environments: mapping and modelling vector borne diseases

7. Clustering of health risks: Global to Local

8. Accessibility Methods: Spatial accessibility to health services and essential health care

9. Geographic Information for Planetary Health action

Note - this text is used in the courses that I teach.

For more information watch the video with information about each chapter and explore the topics covered.

In 1854 John Snow used a paper map to visualise the spatial distribution of cholera deaths.  Today we can use a variety of methods in a GIS to analyse the spatial distribution of a disease outbreak as captured in this video

In 2014 the ebola outbreak took place in West Africa.  We used descriptive spatial analysis methods to map the spatial and temporal distribution of ebola for each week during the outbreak.  Here you can see how the outbreak moved based on the animation using phylogenetic information provided by Nextstrain. Each of these provides insights into the diffusion of the outbreak. We also created different visualisations and animations to explore what information to communicate and in what format. See the following ebola video.

when we consider health and disease we need to think of three elements: 

• Ecology: (what &where & when & why) understanding the disease and drivers of the disease?

• Response (Control & Prevention and Diagnosis & Treatment): (who is affected, what we do about it) how do we minimize risks? what actions do we need to take?  (what healthcare and infrastructure are available and how to access) how can we access the treatment we need in a timely manner? what policies, planning and infrastructure are needed?  

• Communication: inform the public of where and when risks are; actions to take and availability of treatment

Visualisations and symbolisation with statistic and dynamically interactive maps and graphs. Transforming data from excel spreadsheets, outbreak reports  into geo-enabled structured data that can be used to create statistic, interactive or dynamic maps. 

Not only is communication about the visualisation and symbolisation but also about having the data structured and organised in a way that allows for real-time, efficient and effective information sharing.

Interested in learning more about how GIS, AI and geographic information can be used for managing health?

Check out: 2024 Managing vector-borne diseases in a geoAI enabled society: malaria as an example, Acta Tropica

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