The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #69524

David S. Webb, MS, Loriena Yancura, MA, and Steven R. Truax, PhD. HIV Prevention Research and Evaluation Section, California Dept. of Health Services, Office of AIDS, 611 North 7th Street, Suite A, Sacramento, CA 95814-0208, (916) 327-6773, dwebb1@dhs.ca.gov

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) link spatial coordinates and databases. As such, they can integrate data from various sources and display complex information in a meaningful organized way. This information can then be used to guide population-based epidemiological surveys, evaluate the delivery of prevention programs, and target outreach efforts to likely high transmission locations.

This presentation will provide a concrete example of how GIS is used to display data on clients testing for HIV at California publicly funded clinics. Utilizing data from the California HIV Counseling Information System, GIS maps display spatial distributions of demographic and behavioral risk among risk groups, such as injection drug users, men who have sex with men and racial/ethnic groups. GIS is also used to overlay testing sites and transportation routes on population distributions to determine if the sites are located for maximum impact. Identifying the spatial distribution of HIV within a geographically defined area can improve understanding and prompt better community planning and targeted HIV prevention programs.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will be able to: identify ways to use GIS with public health data, describe how spatial analysis can assist in targeting outreach efforts, and understand how GIS aids in evaluation of the effectiveness of prevention programs.

Keywords: Data Collection, Evaluation

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.