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Geographic information systems. A new tool in environmental epidemiology
Annals of Epidemiology
|October 6, 2000
Summary
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) help identify populations near environmental contaminants. This study shows GIS utility in assessing exposure risks from agricultural pesticides and Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) sites.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Epidemiology
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- Exposure Assessment
Background:
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are valuable for pinpointing populations exposed to environmental contaminants.
- GIS enables detailed description of local environments surrounding homes, workplaces, or schools.
Purpose of the Study:
- To illustrate methods and challenges in identifying populations potentially exposed to agricultural pesticides.
- To demonstrate methods for assessing exposure to toxic releases from the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI).
Main Methods:
- Classified satellite imagery into crop species using USDA Farm Service Agency records.
- Mapped residences from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) studies onto crop maps to calculate distances to fields.
- Determined distances from residences to TRI sites using address-matching and global positioning system (GPS) methods.
Main Results:
- 22% of residences were within 500 meters of crop fields.
- Estimated 30% of residences were potentially exposed to agricultural pesticides after accounting for drift.
- Described populations within 1 mile of specific TRI sites.
Conclusions:
- GIS demonstrates utility in environmental epidemiology studies.
- GIS serves as a valuable complement to questionnaires and other exposure assessment methods in health research.
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