ASA University Bangladesh

Faculty of science & engineering

Department of Public Health
Semester: Spring 2013

MPH 536 Introduction to Geographic Information System (3 credits)

Course Teacher: Md. ESRAZ-Ul-Zannat
Objectives
To provide students a basic understanding of the concepts and techniques of GIS in health-related applications
Course Synopsis
Disease ecology is inherently integrative and spatial, and GIS provides the environment in which the biophysical, social, behavioural,
and cultural worlds can be combined for a systemic understanding of health and disease. Public health is concerned with all aspects of
the natural and built environment that may affect human health. The idea of applying GIS techniques in health-related studies is not
new. Indeed, GIS has been used for more than a decade in the western countries to undertake assessment and control of
environmental factors that can potentially affect health. This course explores how a GIS is used to address and analyze pressing health
problems from the geographical perspective. It covers such topics as theoretical issues, simple disease mapping, disease pattern
analysis, and environmental association through spatial modeling techniques. The course will be conducted in a series of lectures in a
problem-based learning environment.
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge:
Health geography and GIS
GIS Concept and Technology and its Applications in PH
Spatial referencing systems (Map coordinate systems and projection system)

 Acquiring and Preparing Spatial Data, Visualizing health data, Designing maps for health study
Spatial analysis
Disease mapping, Disease clustering & Analyzing Environmental hazards
Skills:
There is no scope to be skilled in light of the aforementioned knowledge
Lecture Topics
Module
No.

Module Name

Subject Cover
- Discern relationship with Public
Health (historical, today, future)

Introduction to health
geography, GIS and its
Applications in PH

- Role of informatics in promoting

healthy communities
- Specific Application in PH
- A Third World Perspective on GIS
Applications in Health

GIS Concept and

Technology

Geographic
Coordinate Systems &
Map Projections

- GIS concept, technology, purpose

and application

Exercise

- Quiz
- Assignment
- Map/Table/Figure
Interpretation

- Quiz
- Assignment

- GIS software Demonstration

- Map/Table/Figure
Interpretation

- Geographic coordinate systems and

its Type
- Spheroids and spheres
- Datum
- WGS84 and Everest 1830

- Quiz
- Assignment
- Map/Table/Figure
Interpretation

Mode of
Presentation

Reference

- MS Power
Point

- Book Name

- PDF

- Web
Address

- Document

- MS Power
Point

- Book Name

- PDF

- Web
Address

- Document
- MS Power
Point

- Book Name

- PDF

- Web
Address

- Document

Module
No.

Module Name

Subject Cover
-

Exercise

Mode of
Presentation

Reference

Projected coordinate systems

What is a map projection
Projection types
Other projections
Different Projection Parameters
UTM, BTM and LCC Projection
Systems

- Spatial Data Collection

- Database building

Acquiring and
Preparing Spatial
Data, Visualizing
health data, Designing
maps for health study

- linking with the Spatial Data

- Quiz

- Preparing census data (geocoding)

- Assignment

- Visualizing health data

- Map/Table/Figure
Interpretation

- Introduction to Mapping,
Symbolization & Cartographic
Design
- Role of Remote Sensing in PH
5

Role of Remote
Sensing in PH

Spatial analysis

- Basics of Satellite data

- Quiz
- Assignment

- Pre-processing & Image

Enhancement of Remote Sensing
Data

- Map/Table/Figure
Interpretation

- Basic Vector based geo-processing

- Quiz

- Spatial description (mean center,

standard distance, etc.)

- Assignment

- Gravity Models, Quadrat counts,

- Map/Table/Figure
Interpretation

- MS Power
Point

- Book Name

- PDF

- Web
Address

- Document

- MS Power
Point

- Book Name

- PDF

- Web
Address

- Document
- MS Power
Point

- Book Name

- PDF

- Web
Address

- Document

Module

Module Name

No.

Subject Cover

Exercise

Mode of
Presentation

Reference

Nearest Neighbor analysis, K

functions
- Geary's C, Moran's index,
Interpolation (IDW & Kriging)

Disease mapping,
Disease clustering &
Analyzing
Environmental
hazards

- Choropleth maps, small numbers

problem
- smoothing, spatial filters, adaptive
spatial filters
- Creating age-adjusted maps of
disease outcomes

- Quiz
- Assignment
- Map/Table/Figure
Interpretation

- MS Power
Point

- Book Name

- PDF

- Web
Address

- Document

Assessment
Marks Distribution
Written(70)
Mid Term(30)

Final(40)

Total Marks
100

Continuous Assessment(30)
Class test(05)

Visit / Lab Work(05)

Class Attendance(10)

Assignment & Presentation(10)

100