Abstract

Bureau of Tobacco Free Florida GeoMAPP Internet Mapping Application
Track: Health and Human Services
Authors: Maggie O'Neil

The Bureau of Tobacco Free Florida (BTFF) policy managers, grantees and community partners need to compile and present data to local opinion leaders and decision makers about tobacco prevention and control issues that impact young adults throughout all of Florida's 67 counties. To respond to this need, a custom web-based mapping site (GeoMAPP) was created that offers interactive GIS visualizations of geocoded tobacco retailer data, maps of community demographic and economic data, hospitals, parks, schools, and various tobacco cessation data. GeoMAPP also provides distance and location analyses for retailers, schools and businesses and generates simple reports that support tobacco policy interventions. GeoMAPP has enabled community members to have greater access to data in support of local decisions regarding tobacco policies. These policies include K-12 comprehensive tobacco free schools, restricting the sale of flavored tobacco products, work-place cessation, smoke-free multi-unit housing, and point of sale policies.