A dozen selected and edited versions of papers presented at a June 1996 conference in Helsinki, Finland, along with an introduction and conclusion, explore appropriate methods for the spatial analysis of health data using geographical information systems. They consider some of the assumptions and problems associated with such analysis, and new statistical and cartographic methods for analyzing data for small areas and for assessing health needs. Among the topics are tests for randomness in spatial epidemiology, modelling spatial variations in air quality, and the Bayesian analysis of emerging neoplasms in Spain. The focus is on countries in the European Union. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.
The potential users of GIS for health related analysis and applications are legion. In this edited collection, there are extensive examinations of appropriate methodologies for spatial analysis and spatial statistics in analyzing health data. Chapters explore the links with GIS and consider some of the assumptions and problems associated with such analyses. A range of chapters explore the associations between, for example, air pollution and ill health, and between pesticide exposure and disease risk. The book also covers statistical and cartographic methods for analyzing data for small areas and methods for health assessment needs.
