Abstract

GIS in Community Health Prevention - An Assessment
Track: Health and Human Services
Authors: Kat (Katherine) Haessler, Christopher Auffrey, Thomas Wuerzer

With an adult obesity rate of 26 percent and 21.8 percent of its 3rd graders being overweight, Hamilton County, Ohio is facing severe health issues among its residents. The presentation focuses on a GIS assessment of locations of food and physical activity resources. We demonstrate the important steps for defining and establishing a Healthy Weight GIS framework that is essential to enable research, policy, and strategies to fight obesity and promote healthier communities. The project is part of a Federal CDC-funded program and involves multiple partners in Hamilton County. The presentation shows the management approach of Healthy Weight GIS in data mining among the partners, the strengths and weaknesses of such efforts, and reviews the critical function GIS offers to the health services audience.