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Explore essential elements of GIS, including software, data, hardware, people, and methods. Discover applications in public health such as spatial modeling, thematic mapping, and spatial analysis.
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Session 4.3: Introduction to Geographic Information System (GIS)
GIS - Definition “An integrated collection of computer software and data used to view and manage information about geographic places, analyze spatial relationships, and model spatial processes.” 2 http://wiki.gis.com/wiki/index.php/GIS_Glossary/G
Essential elements of GIS GIS is not only about software! Data Software Hardware People Methods 3
Data - The content at the center! Essential elements of GIS Garbage in – Garbage out ! Need for good data management practices 4 Mendis K. (2009) Spatial technology & malaria control. Indian J Med Res 130, November 2009, pp 498-500
GIS software Essential elements of GIS • Spatially explicit commands and functionality around 4 components: • Tools for the input and manipulation of geographic information (edit, transform, change, combine,…) • A database management system (DBMS) • Tools that support geographic query, analysis (measure, compare,…) and visualization • A graphical user interface (GUI) for easy access to tools • Allow the user to apply methods that combine existing data with knowledge to generate geographic information products • Can range from free to very expensive
Essential elements of GIS Hardware – Depends on the needs and resources
Essential elements of GIS People – Required technical skills • Ebener S., Guerra-Arias M., Campbell J., Tatem A.J., Moran A.C., Amoako Johnson F., Fogstad H, Stenberg K., Neal S., Bailey P., Porter R, Matthews Z. (2015): The geography of maternal and newborn health: the state of the art. International Journal of Health Geographics 2015, 14:19
Essential elements of GIS Methods to reproduce the same results The key is to document!
Complexity Data Quality Nbr of users What can you do with GIS in public health? Spatial Modeling Spatial Analysis Thematic Mapping + Creation/Management of Geospatial data 9
What can you do with GIS in public health? Spatial Modeling Spatial Analysis 1 hour Thematic Mapping Context/relationship Distance Travel time 10
Example of application in public health Thematicmapping Story Map Web mapping Cartogram Hospital management 11
Travelling Time Example of application in public health Spatial analysis • Distance • Location (e.g. altitude) 12
Vulnerability Mapping Link between Natural disaster (floods and hurricanes) and epidemics Example of application in public health Spatial modeling Physical Accessibility Distribution of health inequalities Poverty Mapping 13
Example of application in public health Spatial modeling Hazard modeling and geographicaly based risk assesment VRAM WHO eAtlas for Europe: http://data.euro.who.int/e-atlas/europe/ VRAM KAZ: http://www.gaia-geosystems.org/PROJECTS/VRAM/KAZ/vram_kaz_home.htm 14
Modelling the land Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office
Not everything is GIS software! Database managers with a thematic mapping interface Statistical packages allowing to conduct geostatistical analysis Thematic mapping applications These are real GIS software • ArcGIS www.arcgis.com • Most comprehensive and versatile • Complete GIS ecosystem: maps, analyses, web apps, servers, mobile, coding in Python, integration with R… • Expensive • QGIS www.qgis.org • Good for thematic maps, limited for analyses • Free
GIS software to use for exercises The two GIS software mentioned in the previous slide will be used for Exercise 4.B and the exercises in Module 5. The software to be used by the participants will depend on its availability. • QGIS • ArcMap
QGIS QGIS(formerly known as Quantum GIS) is a free and open-source cross platform desktop geographic information system (GIS) application that supports viewing, editing, and analysis of geospatial data. It is one of, if not the most widely used free GIS software at the moment. Being a free and open-source software allows independent users/developers to create their own plugins to extend the core functionalities of the software.
QGIS Versions QGIS generally releases new versions of the software quite quickly and regularly. For this course, version 3.4 will be used. Why are we using QGIS version 3.4? Version 3.4 is the most stable version of QGIS at the moment which means that it has fewer bugs and less likely to crash. Other versions may also be used although there may be differences in the functionalities.
ArcMap ArcMap is the central application in the ArcGIS suite of products from Esri. ArcMap is where you display and explore GIS datasets for your study area, where you assign symbols, create and edit datasets, perform spatial analysis, and where you create map layouts for printing or publication. For this course, ArcMap 10.6 is used in the exercises. Other versions may also be used although there may be differences in the functionalities.
Let’s use GIS software! Let’s proceed to Exercise 4.B where you will learn the basic functionalities of your chosen GIS software.