Abstract

Using GIS to Identify and Reduce Health Disparities
Track: Public Health
Authors: Brooke Tomblin, Emily Iacolo, Jeffrey Young

Large metropolitan areas contain diverse neighborhoods in terms of race, access to health care, and mortality rates. GIS pinpointed areas of breast cancer screening disparity for African-American women in Shelby County, TN. Density mapping and network analysis identified clusters of the at-risk population, distances to facilities, and community resources that could be leveraged to improve screening. These insights are informing solutions to reduce the disparity impacting over 4,000 women.