Application of Epidemiological Geographic Information System: An Open-Source Spatial Analysis Tool Based on the OMOP...

Area of Science:

• Spatial epidemiology
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• Public Health Analytics

Background:

• Spatial epidemiology analyzes geographical variations in health outcomes.
• Current methods for spatial epidemiological modeling are labor-intensive.
• An open-source software solution is needed to enhance utility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and demonstrate an open-source software for spatial epidemiological analysis.
• To assess the applicability and quality of the developed software.
• To provide a tool for evaluating geographical disparities in health outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Developed the Application of Epidemiological Geographic Information System (AEGIS), an open-source software.
• AEGIS utilizes standardized geocode and observational health data.
• Implemented two spatial analysis methods: disease mapping and cluster detection.

Main Results:

• AEGIS successfully mapped the spatial distribution of incident cancer in Korea, consistent with prior research.
• Identified a significant liver cancer cluster in Korean women (Moran's I = 0.44, p < 0.001).
• Detected a malarial endemic cluster in Paju-si, Korea (p < 0.001) and a heart disease cluster in the United States (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• AEGIS is an open-source, cross-country spatial analytics solution.
• The software can globally assess geographical health outcome differences.
• AEGIS facilitates analysis using standardized geocode and observational health databases.