Using Data Hierarchies to Identify Health Disparities Geographically

Abstract

GIS as an applied technology has blossomed rather recently (http://envstudies.brown.edu/Thesis/2001/james/gishistory.html). With increasing computational power, researchers are able to handle massive amounts of data. However, as with all quantitative analysis, they often lack depth of analysis. Anthropologists, through their case studies, have long provided tremendous social and cultural depth (http://www.yale.edu/hraf/) and have provided perspectives and used approaches which permit the linking of qualitative information to these large data sets. They also are concerned with how such data fit within the larger societal contexts. This paper presents a small sample of seven case studies conducted by the authors on health disparities as examples of and precursors to today's participatory GIS strategies. We highlight the potential of GIS to build rich pictures of a given people via Data Hierarchies. The studies varied considerably in the extent to which local community members were involved as participants in the process (see Table 1 below—http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/newsroom/publications/anzfacommunityinvolvementpolicy andprotocol4modelsforconsultati 1098.cfm).