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Geographical information systems and tropical medicine
1Department of Family Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, 05405, USA. omar.khan@vtmednet.org
Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology
|July 28, 2010
Summary
Geographical Information Systems (GIS) offer powerful tools for tropical medicine, aiding in disease mapping, vaccine trials, and health management. Their expanded use can improve global health strategies and pandemic planning.
Area of Science:
- Tropical medicine
- Geospatial health informatics
Background:
- Geographical Information Systems (GIS) have seen significant advancements in the last 20 years.
- Their application in tropical medicine is increasingly relevant for public health initiatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review key applications of GIS in tropical medicine.
- To highlight GIS's role in disease mapping, vaccine trials, and health management.
Main Methods:
- Review of pertinent and representative applications of GIS.
- Inclusion of remote sensing for disease mapping.
- Discussion of global health-information management and epidemiology.
Main Results:
- GIS and remote sensing are effective for mapping diseases like Chagas disease and helminthiases.
- GIS is valuable for vaccine trials, health-information management, and epidemiological studies.
- Global applications include pandemic planning and decision-making support.
Conclusions:
- GIS presents a significant decision-making tool for tropical medicine.
- Barriers to widespread implementation in developing countries need to be addressed.
- Future potential for GIS in global health is substantial.
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