Geography and Public Health:

Using Technology to Strengthen Programs

ANDREW INGLIS: USAID | DELIVER PROJECT OCTOBER 8, 2010

TechnologyPublicHealth

Geography

Role of Geography in Public Health

• John Snow’s map of Broad Street pump:– map did NOT identify

the pump as the cause– map was used to

demonstrate and explain the relationship between the pump and cholera outbreak

Role of Geography in Strategic Thinking

• Use to inform decision makers:– visually– point of discussion– explaining plans

• Military • Transport• Urban

Photo: A.Inglis 2005

Pre- and Post-GIS• Pre-GIS

– Mapping was generally limited issues directly related space;

• Land tenure, navigation, military, transport, etc…

– Expensive, time consuming and activity specific maps

• Post-GIS– Mapping applications was expanded and made

accessible• Health, shopping, population, recreation….

– Linking data to a geographic location

GIS Software• Proprietary software

• Open source GIS

GRASS GIS

Google Earth

• Great idea with real applications

Interactive Session

How to Use the Functionality• Web mapping

– Sharing– Interactive (also Desktop)– Geo RSS feeds

• Central Data linked to Decentralized Data– Central Health Facility Database– Crowd sourcing information

• Geo Mobile technologyHow do I use this spatial information to make adecision?

What Can We Learn from Past Use of Mapping in Public Health?

• Explain/demonstrate patterns

• Identify gaps

• Generate points of discussion

What Has Changed• Speed (potentially near real-time mapping)

• Ability to make maps– Non-GIS users can make maps

• Accessibility– On and offline mapping

• Sharing maps– Across the internet

• Interactive maps– No longer just paper maps!

What Has Not Changed

• Reliance on good/organized data

• Needs when making decisions– Right Information– Right Time– Right Place– Right Scale

How Has Technology Shaped the way make maps and use maps?

• Change paradigm– From one-off to continuous mapping

• Moving from a single purpose surveys• Multiple purpose mapping

– Potential of integration data• Linking using geography between different

datasets– Transport, Education, Health, etc…

Example: Rwanda

• Supply Chain

• Census

• MEASURE DHS

Interactive Session