What are the most effective ways GIS databases are improving public health?

1 Disease Surveillance

One of the most common and important uses of GIS databases in public health is disease surveillance. Disease surveillance is the systematic collection, analysis, and dissemination of health data to detect, track, and respond to outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics. GIS databases can integrate various sources of health data, such as laboratory results, hospital records, case reports, and environmental factors, and display them on maps that show the spatial and temporal patterns of disease occurrence and spread. GIS databases can also enable real-time or near-real-time monitoring of disease trends, alerting public health officials and stakeholders of potential threats and facilitating timely and targeted interventions.

3 Environmental Health

A third way GIS databases are improving public health is by enhancing environmental health. Environmental health is the branch of public health that focuses on the interactions between humans and their physical, chemical, biological, and social environments, and how they affect health and well-being. GIS databases can help assess and monitor environmental hazards, such as air pollution, water contamination, noise exposure, climate change, and natural disasters, and their effects on human health. GIS databases can also help model and forecast environmental scenarios, such as the impact of land use changes, urbanization, and mitigation strategies, on health outcomes and risks.

4 Health Promotion

A fourth way GIS databases are improving public health is by supporting health promotion. Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over their health and its determinants, and thereby improve their health. GIS databases can help design and implement health promotion strategies, such as health education, behavior change, community engagement, and advocacy, by providing data and evidence on the needs, preferences, and behaviors of different groups and individuals. GIS databases can also help evaluate and communicate the effectiveness and outcomes of health promotion initiatives, by showing the changes and improvements in health indicators and determinants.

5 Health Innovation

A fifth way GIS databases are improving public health is by fostering health innovation. Health innovation is the development and application of new or improved solutions that address health challenges and create value for health systems and society. GIS databases can help generate and test health innovation ideas, such as new products, services, processes, or models, by providing data and insights on the problems, opportunities, and solutions in the health sector. GIS databases can also help scale and diffuse health innovation, by facilitating the dissemination and adoption of best practices, lessons learned, and success stories across different settings and contexts.

6 Health Literacy

A sixth way GIS databases are improving public health is by enhancing health literacy. Health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. GIS databases can help improve health literacy, by presenting health data and information in a clear, concise, and accessible way, using maps, charts, graphs, and interactive dashboards. GIS databases can also help empower health literacy, by enabling people to access, explore, and analyze health data and information, and to participate in health decision-making and action.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?