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Public Health and GIS 590f: Computing in the Developing World. Ruth Anderson & Yaw Anokwa 1-17-07. 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.
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Public Health and GIS590f: Computing in the Developing World Ruth Anderson & Yaw Anokwa 1-17-07
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
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
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?
MARA Project Atlas of Malaria in Africa • http://www.mara.org.za/ • http://www.mara.org.za/mapsinfo.htm
The Application of Geographical Information Systems to Important Public Health Problems in Africa Tanser & le Sueur International Journal of Health Geographics December 2002
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
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
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
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
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)
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
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
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
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
Obstacles to GIS in health in Africa 3. Convincing Key Players of cost-effectiveness • Analogy to Epidemiology
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