Author Interview

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The views expressed in this interview are those of the author and not of IGI, and are not bound by copyright restrictions.

Q: Why is a Geographic Information System (GIS) important for community health organizations?

A: A GIS is an excellent tool to understand the health of the surrounding neighborhoods. It can be used to find out which risks are highest in those neighborhoods, which is obviously important for outreach planning. It can also be used as a management information system to store all collected data and generate reports.

Q: Why is a Geographic Information System (GIS) becoming a necessity for community health organizations?

A: One of the Healthy People 2010 objectives (23-3) states “Increase the proportion of all major national, State, and local health data systems that use geocoding to promote nationwide use of geographic information systems (GIS) at all levels”.

Q: Is there a disparity in infant health outcomes, and particularly infant mortality, in our cities?

A: Unfortunately yes, many cities in the United States suffer disparities in negative birth outcomes between white and minority populations. In Baton Rouge, the city under investigation in this book, that disparity between white and African Americans often reaches a 4:1 and even 5:1 ratio in terms of negative birth outcomes.

Q: How do “geography” and “spatial analysis” identify negative infant health outcomes?

A: Health outcomes vary across space. We have all heard of “hotspots”, which means areas of elevated disease. Often the causes of these hotspots are complex including behavioral, social, neighborhood and environmental causations. When these conditions intersect spatially, for example in one city neighborhood, a negative infant health outcome can result. A neighborhood sharing some of these risks may not experience the same outcome. Once we have identified how these risks combine over space, so we can start to develop intervention strategies.

Q: Specifically, what role can a GIS play in reducing infant mortality?

A: Before any “plan” can be implemented to reduce infant mortality, it is important to understand not only where the problem exists, but what are the causative factors. A GIS can be used to combine multiple data sets, including birth and death certificate data, program participant data, and census data. This technology allows us to make sense of all these data, resulting in a more efficient targeting of outreach education, expertise and dollars.

Q: Is it important to know the theory underpinning a GIS?

A: When working with a GIS it is important to have a reasonable grasp of two things; what are the capabilities of the system, and what are the types of errors that can be made. As with most things, the GIS user can be a novice or expert. This book attempts to cover the basics for a novice to intermediate level GIS user with a focus on health related issues. It is hoped this book will allow a community health group to evaluate whether to use a GIS, and then how to get started.

Q: Isn’t a GIS just an academic tool?

A: GIS is becoming more widespread with most local and state government agencies implementing a GIS. This does not mean to say GIS is being used effectively anywhere. The purpose of this book is to demystify the technology and suggest how a GIS can benefit any community health unit.

Q: Is this book useful as a companion piece to any introduction to GIS class?

A: Yes, many introductory texts, though excellent in teaching the student about GIS, do not use examples drawn from one general area that build the student’s understanding of why GIS is used. This book shows actual examples of GIS use in one particular setting. By using examples drawn from the same general area a synergistic understanding of the benefits of GIS will be gained.

Q: Is this book appropriate for a student in a medical geography class?

A: Yes, the reason to use a GIS is to search for a spatial understanding of a health outcome. This book allows the reader to see how medical geography concepts and tools can be used outside of the academic environment and improve society around.

For more information or to arrange an additional interview with the author, please contact:

Hannah Gordon

IRM Press

An imprint of Idea Group, Inc.

Tel: 717/533-8845 x32

Fax: 717/533-7115

Email: hgordon@idea-group.com

URL: http://www.idea-group.com