GIS and Public Health

This clearly written resource provides a comprehensive introduction to the use of geographic information systems (GIS) in analyzing and addressing public health problems. The book lays a solid foundation in GIS, guides the reader through basic concepts and methods, and emphasizes practical applications. Described are ways that GIS can be used to map health events, identify disease clusters, investigate environmental health problems, and understand the spread of communicable and vector-borne infectious disease. Also covered are strategies for assessing patterns of health services delivery and assisting community groups in identifying local health issues. Each chapter includes numerous tables, figures, and concrete examples, as well as useful references and Internet resources. Complementing the book is a special website featuring sample GIS databases that users can download for hands-on practice with a variety of spatial analytical techniques.