About
The GIS Capacity Building Program is designed to enhance the ability of staff in health departments and Tribal Epidemiology Centers to integrate the use of GIS into daily operations. These operations support existing priorities for surveillance and prevention of heart disease, stroke, and other chronic diseases. The GIS program includes hybrid trainings (virtual and in-person workshops), as well as shorter online-only trainings.
Overview
Participants learn key GIS and cartographic skills to create maps that display geographic patterns in:
- The burden of heart disease, stroke, and other chronic diseases.
- Sociodemographic groups.
- Social determinants of health.
- Proximity to health care facilities and other facilities that can either support or hinder population health.
Participants put their GIS skills into action to address chronic disease priorities in their organizations by creating maps that document geographic disparities, inform program and policy decisions, and enhance partnerships.
The GIS Capacity Building Program has also established the Chronic Disease GIS Network to connect, support, and highlight public health professionals using GIS to address chronic disease priorities.
Collaborating organizations
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD)
- Children's Environmental Health Initiative at the University of Illinois, Chicago
Objectives
Enhance the capacity for health department staff to use GIS techniques to:
- Document geographic disparities in chronic diseases.
- Assist collaboration within each agency and with partner organizations.
- Guide chronic disease policies and program development.
- Advance health equity.
Examples of how health department staff are using GIS and maps for chronic disease prevention
MapLogs
Maplogs are a series of blog posts highlighting how GIS and maps are being used to identify and address geographic disparities in chronic disease. CDC works with Children's Environmental Health Initiative (CECHI) to develop and publish the MapLogs.