Geoprocessing in health area

Abstract

The map's usage and the concerns about geographic distribution related with diseases are not a recent issue. A classical example is the John Snow survey -maps were used to locate cholera's cases and related them with the water supplying. The spatial representation techniques are fewer used in health sectors due to troubles in managing such information. So, the aim of this survey was to establish the disease spatial distribution in Ribeirão Preto, 2002. Secondary data were used to elaborate this study. The spatial distribution of cases was realized by using the MapInfo 7.8 software. Although many cases were concentrated in the northeast region in the city, which consists the quarters of low economical income. The results contribute to show the Tb spatial distribution in Ribeirao Preto, they also reinforce the space category as a methodological alternative to manage, to monitor and to evaluate the health actions by directing interventions to decrease the iniquities.

Spatial Distribution and Self-Correlation of Mother and Child Health Indicators in the State of Parana, Brazil

“…This study may contribute to the scientific knowledge already published in this journal, which, despite using different approaches such as the spatial distribution of leprosy cases (24) and the spatial distribution of tuberculosis cases (5) , in Ribeirão Preto-SP, also permit the visualization of the epidemiological patterns of events and processes of health, recognizing the factors that determine and facilitate decision-making about possible public health actions.…”

“…Georeferencing, spatial distribution and the use of thematic maps in health constitute an important technique in the analysis of risks to collective health and offer great possibilities for researchers, becoming a powerful tool for the connection between health and geographic area (5) , allowing the identification of variables that reveal the social, economic and environmental structure in which a health event occurs, for the decisive factors for the reproduction of social inequalities and consequently of health. The distribution analysis of indicators, according to geographical areas, is a powerful instrument in health research and can contribute to the understanding of the processes involved in a particular phenomenon that one wishes to study, making it possible to analyze characteristics and differences of each territorial space, beyond the simple geographic perspective, covering the socially constructed space (6) .…”

Scientific progress versus ecological influence on Schistosoma mansoni transmission

“…GIS information adds a new perspective on the epidemiology and ecology of parasitic diseases on a geographical scale. The application of GIS enhances traditional approaches and allows the surveillance of the distribution of parasitic diseases to direct the efforts of control programs, as it helps to inform which interventions should be targeted and where they should be administered geographically, thus reducing costs and improving efficiency 6 .…”

Spatial data analysis and the use of maps in scientific health articles

“…4 The major change that has developed since then was that epidemiology no longer uses merely geographical elements, but went on to establish a dialogue with this and other fields of knowledge. 5,6 Similarly, the interaction between Epidemiology, Geography and Statistics became imperative. Although such analyses do not intend to establish causal associations at the individual level, they can become a valuable tool in evaluating the impact of social processes and structures in the determination of health events.…”

“…7 Finding out about the spatial structure and dynamics enables the characterization of the place and conditions in which these health events occur, in addition to tracking the spread of morbidities, and identifying priority sites of intervention and the result after these interventions. 6 Geoprocessing of environmental and health information also enables the identification of variables that reveal the social, economic and environmental structure, where the health risks are present, although not determining their cause, which is extremely useful for understanding patterns of diseases. 3,8 Despite the growing number of studies with characteristic elements of spatial analysis, the application of analytical techniques suitable for epidemiological studies requires careful consideration.…”