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Public Health and GIS 590f: Computing in the Developing World

This presentation discusses the use of GIS in public health in the developing world, with a focus on mapping disease patterns, allocating resources, and overcoming obstacles. It highlights case studies from Africa, specifically malaria, HIV, and TB, and explores the feasibility, challenges, and potential of GIS in improving health outcomes. Relevant keywords: GIS, public health, developing world, disease mapping, resource allocation, Africa, malaria, HIV, TB.

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Public Health and GIS 590f: Computing in the Developing World

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  1. Public Health and GIS590f: Computing in the Developing World Ruth Anderson & Yaw Anokwa 1-17-07

  2. Presentation Outline • GIS in health in the developed world • MARA (Mapping Malaria in Africa) • Paper #1: GIS in health in Africa • Paper #2: GIS in Malaria in Indonesia

  3. GIS in health in the Developed World? • Improving Research • Mapping Cancer data shows geographic trends -> links to environmental factors • Targeting Resources • Lead Paint Screening in Indiana – target high risk housing types & socioeconomic makeup • Improving Community Programs • Marketing Anti-Smoking or Cancer Screening Messages to most likely “customers” • Initial Responses to Bioterrorism • Location and inventories of supplies& trained personal

  4. Malaria in Africa The Unknowns: • Maps of Severity and Risk • Unreliable records of death and sickness • Which populations are exposed to risk How to allocate limited resources for control of Malaria?

  5. MARA Project Atlas of Malaria in Africa • http://www.mara.org.za/ • http://www.mara.org.za/mapsinfo.htm

  6. The Application of Geographical Information Systems to Important Public Health Problems in Africa Tanser & le Sueur International Journal of Health Geographics December 2002

  7. Africa and Disease Africa is hit hard by Disease: • HIV - leading cause of death in Africa • TB – leading infectious cause of death worldwide • Malaria – 90% of world cases are in Africa

  8. Disease and Geography • HIV - leading cause of death in Africa • Prevalence of STIs • Human Migration from rural to urban areas • Intensified by natural disasters & conflicts • TB – leading infectious cause of death worldwide • HIV infected persons at higher risk • Treatment is cost-effective • Malaria – 90% of world cases are in Africa • Armed conflicts, migrations of non-immune populations, climate patterns, socioeconomic patterns, nutritional status • Holds back economic growth <-> flourishes in disadvantaged communities

  9. Paper Outline • Africa’s Health Priorities • GIS Research in health in Africa • Trends in GIS • Obstacles to GIS in health in Africa • Feasible uses of GIS in health in Africa

  10. Space and Disease • Disease Transmission Modes: • TB & HIV - rely on close human contact • Malaria – mosquito flight distance • Environmental Factors: • Climate – Malaria • Social Environment – HIV, TB

  11. GIS Research in Africa • Malaria • most widely studied • TB • only a few uses (South Africa) • could have a big role • HIV • one study (HIV vs. accessibility to roads) • Difficulty obtaining data (stigma of HIV)

  12. GIS Work in Progress in Africa • Inequalities in population per bed ratios • Fieldworker workload • Measures of clinic usage and interaction vs. distance traveled to attend • Wealth vs. Health outcomes • Clinic access and Maternal & child health

  13. GIS Trends • GIS: tool-> science • Analogy to Epidemiology in the 1970’s • Computer Hardware is cheaper & powerful • Software has improved • user friendly, standard data formats, inexpensive software • GPS units: cheaper and more accurate • more projects will tend to collect geo data

  14. Obstacles to GIS in health in Africa 1. Lack of Qualified Staff • Pilot or research projects vs. Operational systems • Controlled by outsiders A: Develop capacity by developing African staff

  15. Obstacles to GIS in health in Africa 2. Lack of GIS data sets • Difficult and expensive • Decentralized and uncoordinated collection A: Pool Resources • Establish National Databases • Forestry, Ecology, Archaeology, Epidemiology A: Sentinel geo-referenced surveillance sites • follow up a designated population intensively over time • to illuminate small–scale patterns A: Remotely-sensed data sets • e.g. mosquito habitat

  16. Obstacles to GIS in health in Africa 3. Convincing Key Players of cost-effectiveness • Analogy to Epidemiology

  17. Feasible uses of GIS in health in Africa • Research Tool • High end GIS systems • Analytical functionality • Health Planning and Management Tool • Low end systems • Overlay disease patterns and health facilities • Rapid manipulation for decision making

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