Geographic information systems and health applications

343 Pages·2003·9.973 MB·English

by  Omar A Khan, Ric Skinner, IGI Global

Geographic
Information Systems
and
Health Applications
Omar A. Khan
Editor
Ric Skinner
Associate Editor
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Geographic information systems and health applications / Omar A. Khan [editor].
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1-59140-042-2 (cloth)
1. Geographic information systems. 2. Public health--Data processing. 3. Medical
care--Data processing. I. Khan, Omar A., 1973-
RA566 .G46 2002
362.1'0285--dc21
2002068750
eISBN 1-59140-076-7
British Cataloguing in Publication Data
A Cataloguing in Publication record for this book is available from the British Library.
Geographic Information Systems
and Health Applications
Table of Contents
Foreword .............................................................................................viii
Ric Skinner, Baystate Medical Center, USA
Preface ...................................................................................................x
Omar A. Khan, Johns Hopkins University School of Public
Health, USA
SECTION I: HEALTH DISPARITIES &
COMMUNITY HEALTH ISSUES
Chapter I. Race, Class and Place: Directions for the Future of Public
Health ....................................................................................................1
Gregory Pappas, Macro International, Inc., USA
Mohammed Akhter, American Public Health Association, USA
Chapter II. Understanding Health Disparities Through Geographic
Information Systems............................................................................12
Samuel Soret, Loma Linda University, USA
Karl J. McCleary, The Pennsylvania State University, USA
Patrick A. Rivers, Arizona State University, USA
Susanne B. Montgomery and Seth A. Wiafe,
Loma Linda University, USA
Chapter III. Using a GIS and the American Community Survey to
Address Community Health Problems................................................43
Jane L. McCall, Amy K. Pasini and Richard B. Wait,
Baystate Medical Center GIS Program, USA
Chapter IV. The Application of Spatial Analysis to the Public Health
Understanding of Alcohol and Alcohol-Related Problems.................57
Robert Lipton, Prevention Research Center, USA
D. M. Gorman, The Texas A&M University System Health
Science Center, USA
William F. Wieczorek, Buffalo State College-State University of
New York, USA
Paul Gruenewald, Prevention Research Center, USA
SECTION II: GIS & CANCER
Chapter V. The New Kid on the Block: A Look at How Geographic
Information Systems are Changing the Face of Cancer Research...81
Jane L. McCall, Baystate Medical Center GIS Program, USA
Chapter VI. Community Breast Cancer Mapping in Huntington,
Long Island ..........................................................................................97
Scott Carlin, Southampton College, Long Island University, USA
Chapter VII. Application of a GIS-Based Statistical Method to
Assess Spatio-Temporal Changes in Breast Cancer Clustering in
the Northeastern United States........................................................114
Daikwon Han and Peter A. Rogerson, SUNY at Buffalo, USA
Chapter VIII. Geographical Analysis of Disease in Small Areas Using
Hierarchical Bayesian Models: Mapping Men’s Lung Cancer
Mortality in Galicia, Spain................................................................139
C. L. Vidal-Rodeiro, University of Aberdeen, UK
M. I. Santiago-Pérez and E. Vázquez-Fernández, Public Health
Department of Galicia, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
M. E. López-Vizcaíno, Galician Statistical Institute, Santiago de
Compostela, Spain
X. Hervada-Vidal, Public Health Department of Galicia, Santiago
de Compostela, Spain
SECTION III: INFECTIOUS DISEASE & INTERNATIONAL
HEALTH
Chapter IX. Using Hierarchical Nearest Neighbor Analysis and
Animation to Investigate the Spatial and Temporal Patterns of
Raccoon Rabies in West Virginia.....................................................155
Andrew Curtis and Michael Leitner,
Louisiana State University, USA
Cathleen Hanlon, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, USA
Chapter X. Spatial Cluster Analysis for Etiological Research and
Identification of Socio-Environmental Risk Factors........................172
Michael Emch, Portland State University, USA
Mohammad Ali, International Vaccine Institute, Korea
Chapter XI. The Use of GIS and Remote Sensing in Schistosomiasis
Control in China.................................................................................188
Edmund Y. W. Seto and Bing Xu, University of California at
Berkeley, USA
Weiping Wu, Shanghai Institute of Parasitic Disease, PC China
George Davis, Institute of Malacology, USA
Dongchuan Qiu and Xueguang Gu, Sichuan Institute of Parasitic
Disease, PC China
Peng Gong and Robert C. Spear, University of California at
Berkeley, USA
Chapter XII. Bacterial Source Tracking of Nonpoint Source Pollution
Using GIS and DNA Fingerprinting Technologies...........................208
M. E. Folkoff, E. A. Venso, D. W. Harris, M. F. Frana and
M. S. Scott, Salisbury University, USA
Chapter XIII. Spatial Modeling of Risk Factors for Gender-Specific
Child Mortality in a Rural Area of Bangladesh...............................223
Mohammad Ali, International Vaccine Institute, Korea
Christine Ashley, University of Minnesota, USA
M. Zahirul Haq and Peter Kim Streatfield, International Centre
for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh
SECTION IV: HOSPITALS & HEALTHCARE
Chapter XIV. Using GIS to Unveil Distance Effects on
Hospitalizations in Victoria ...............................................................243
Ge Lin, West Virginia University, USA
Chapter XV. Spatial Accessibility to Primary Care and Physician
Shortage Area Designation: A Case Study in Illinois with GIS
Approaches ........................................................................................260
Wei Luo and Fahui Wang, Northern Illinois University, USA
Chapter XVI. Using GIS with Publicly Available Data for Hospital
Market Share Analysis.....................................................................279
Evan R. Wolarsky, Healthcare Consultant, USA
Chapter XVII. Mapping Accessibility to General Practitioners.....289
Lars Brabyn and Paul Gower, University of Waikato,
New Zealand
About the Authors..............................................................................308
Index ................................................................................................321
viii
Foreword
I am very pleased and honored that Omar Khan asked me to assist him in
developing this book, Geographic Information Systems and Health Applications.
Omar and I developed and co-chaired the first two International Health Geographics
Conferences in 1998 (Baltimore) and 2000 (Washington, DC). The nearly 500
attendees at those two conferences were exposed to tremendously exciting and
informative applications of this relatively “new” technology—new at least in the
health. I believe those conferences, as well as several others in recent years,
provided many of the contributions to this book, or were the impetus for new work
which you will read about here.
“Health Geographics” is a term that came into existence in the mid-1990s when
I began to ask if anyone was using GIS technology in the areas of healthcare, health
resources, health systems and health science. I was amazed at the number and
variety people around the world who were doing truly innovative things, yet thinking
they were in a very small minority. In fact, when I explored further and asked if there
were any conferences that catered to this group of researchers, I found little
happening. When I asked if there should be a ‘health geographics’ conference,
many said yes, but an even surprising number sent me abstracts and asked “When?”
and “Where?” I’m saying all this to illustrate that there has been a real need for
conferences such as those, and books such as these. There will be many more of
both as this powerful GIS technology is woven even deeper into the fabric of
healthcare and related health disciplines.
As the first conferences unfolded, we saw many GIS applications focused on
problems such as dengue fever, malaria, immunization programs, hospital catchment
area mapping, managing habitats for Lyme disease, etc.—all very interesting and
excellent uses of this technology. Health Geographics has matured greatly over the
ix
past five years—and still has a lot more ground to cover. Now we’re seeing
applications as mentioned before and in addition, Health Geographics professionals
are turning up in cancer research, tracking human pathogens in drinking water
supplies, and in some very interesting applications being discussed in hospital GIS
circles.
This book presents a very limited overview of some of the ways GIS is being
applied in health. I encourage you to read with an open mind, and challenge yourself
and your colleagues to think outside the box.
One final comment: I would like to dedicate my efforts on this book especially
to Greg and Carrie—they are the absolute pride of my life.
“Think Spatially – Decide Visually – Act Wisely – and Be Satisfied!”
Ric Skinner
Sr. GIS Coordinator
Department of Surgery
Baystate Medical Center
Springfield, MA USA
x
Preface
The use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in the health sector is an idea
whose time has come. This is by no means a novel concept; spatial analysis has been
around as long as we have thought about spatial associations of disease, whether
looking at determinants, distributions, outcomes or utilization. The current appli-
cations of GIS in health are diverse and extensive—I have had the privilege of co-
chairing two conferences on the topic, and have been impressed with the wide array
of geographically enabled projects and processes in the field.
The present GIS environment is heavily driven by technology and such an
approach is indeed logical for the most part. However, the needs of less developed
countries in utilizing the concepts and technologies of mapping should not be
neglected in the continuing evolution of GIS. In the current computing environment,
where processors seem to be in need of an upgrade on an annual basis or sooner,
it should be realized that there remain barriers to the utilization of GIS, which include
the costs associated with training, equipment and personnel as well as with
sustainability. It is therefore imperative that the collective health geographics
community be an inclusive one and support the use of technologies appropriate to
a variety of settings, whether in the developed or the developing world. It is essential
that the resources of the technological era be brought to bear on bridging and not
expanding the divide between the two.
The technology of health mapping is only as good as the underlying concepts,
whether applying to a scientific research question or exploring a new way of
planning health delivery. This book is about sharing the results of some of the most
innovative and useful ways in which our colleagues are utilizing GIS and spatial
analysis to solve health-related issues. I am honored to be associated with the
wealth of talent and expertise that lies between these pages. The work you will read