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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Yvonne Johnston, MS, RN, CS, FNP, Decker School of Nursing, Binghamton University, PO Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902-6000, (607) 777-2622, johnston@binghamton.edu
Geographic Information System (GIS) technology is emerging as a revolutionary tool for not only mapping the spatial distribution of diseases, but also analyzing the effect of location on health. Applications have included identifying patterns in childhood injuries, examining risk factors for Lyme Disease, and predicting populations at risk for lead exposure. Both geographic data and non-geographic attributes can be inputted, stored, managed, analyzed, and displayed. The power and versatility of this technology in environmental epidemiology is only beginning to be appreciated. Experts predict that this technology will likely become a routinely used tool in public health, thus an understanding of how it works and how it can be used to promote health is imperative for both health care providers and researchers. This presentation briefly describes this new technology, discusses current clinical applications, and reviews the published research literature in this area. In addition, potential public health nursing applications are explored and methodological limitations for research are examined.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to
Keywords: Environmental Health, Technology
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.