Geographic Information, Geospatial Technologies and Spatial Data Science for Health

Geographic information, spatial analysis and geospatial technologies play an important role in understanding changes in planetary health and in defining the drivers contributing to different health outcomes both locally and globally. Patterns influencing health outcomes and disease in the environment are complex and require an understanding of the ecology of the disease and how these interact in space and time. Knowing where and when diseases are prevalent, who is affected and what may be driving these outcomes is important for determining how to respond. In reality, we all would like to be healthy and live in healthy places.

In this book, epidemiology and public health are integrated with spatial data science to examine health issues in dynamically changing environments. This is too broad a field to be completely covered in one book, and so, it has been necessary to be selective with the topics, methods and examples used to avoid overwhelming introductory readers while at the same time providing sufficient depth for geospatial experts interested in health and for health professionals interested in integrating geospatial elements for health analysis. A variety of geographic information (some novel, some volunteered, some authoritative, some big and messy) is used with a mix of methods consisting of spatial analysis, data science and spatial statistics to better understand health risks and disease outcomes.

Key Features:

• Makes spatial data science accessible to health
• Integrates epidemiology and disease ecology with spatial data science
• Integrates theoretical geographic information science concepts
• Provides practical and applied approaches for examining and exploring health and disease risks
• Provides spatial data science skill development ranging from map making to spatial modelling

Dr. Justine Blanford is a Professor of GeoHealth at ITC, University of Twente. She addresses a variety of local and global health challenges across different spatial and temporal scales. Her work is centred around three main facets that include (i) risk: understanding where and when health risks are, the mechanisms driving risk (why) and who may be affected; (ii) prevention: what response and actions are needed where; and (iii) communication: what to communicate. She has a PhD in Biology from Imperial College, UK, an MPhil from the University of Leicester, UK and a BaH from Queen’s University, Canada.