Abstract
Spatial Investigation: Does Your Health Depend on Where You Live?
Track: Teaching with GIS Across the Curriculum
Authors: Lyn Malone
In recent years there has been much discussion of "food deserts" - places where healthful, affordable food is difficult to obtain. Are there "health deserts" too? - places where good health is compromised by location? This concept is reflected in geographical units described by the Department of Health and Human Services as "Medically Underserved Areas." MUA'S are identified through an index of four variables: the number of physicians per 1,000 population, infant mortality rate, percentage of the population with incomes below the poverty level, and percentage of the population over age 64. This presentation will demonstrate two GIS lessons designed to investigate "health deserts." The first lesson uses ArcGIS desktop to identify medically underserved counties based on an index of health variables and explore the health implications of living in an MUA. The second lesson uses ArcGIS Online to explore the same issues with nothing more than an Internet browser.