The mid nineties saw a profusion of interest in GIS applications to health. This helped to promote the dissemination and acceptance of this new data management, analysis and display methodology in a variety of health fields. In many cases, however, data was displayed in an exploratory fashion, without enough input being given to the methodological aspects of spatial data measurement, analysis and description. This resulted in simplistic, and sometimes erroneous, interpretations leading to some wariness and disillusionment with GIS as a tool that could be used in a wide variety of settings with some level of ease and confidence. This book is an important step in attempting to address this issue. It gives examples of how a variety of methodological approaches can be used for health applications utilizing GIS. While the book does set a high methodological standard for the application of this technology, it offers insight to how this can be applied in a wide variety of settings, ranging form academic to service delivery, industrial to developing country settings.
– Dr Saqib Shahab, Medical Health Officer, Canada
This book is remarkable in shedding light on the spatial aspects of disease and its socioeconomic correlates, public health, preventative measures, and the availability of health resources. The chapters include a variety of spatial and statistical analysis models and techniques, drawn from public health, epidemiology, and medicine. Often geographic information systems (GIS) are utilized as a complement along with other technologies and techniques, such as GPS, remote sensing, and market share analysis. The scope of the book is worldwide, with studies of health problems in North America, Asia, and the Pacific. The contributions provide valuable insights into disease and public health problems and solutions, and elucidate a group of current spatial and GIS models and methods that scientists and practitioners can apply to similar studies. This book is an excellent contribution to the GIS and health literature.
– James B. Pick, University of Redlands, USA
In many ways this volume is successful in bringing together a comprehensive picture of how GIS are being used for health applications.
– Annals of the Geographic Information Systems and Health Applications, March 2004, Volume 94, Number 1.