ABSTRACT
Technological and social changes influence the risk factors to which populations are exposed, shifting the major causes of death and disease from infections to chronic diseases (Koplan 2002). Chronic disease is a longlasting condition that can be controlled but not cured. Chronic diseases include heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, obesity, and diabetes. Mapping of chronic diseases started with the recognition that environmental factors play an essential role in their etiology. With the assistance of disease maps, low-and high-risk areas can be highlighted, and environmental factors (physical and/or sociocultural) contributing to the process of causation can be related to chronic diseases. Geographic information systems (GIS) analysis can help with monitoring and tracking chronic disease trends; identifying, implementing, and evaluating effective interventions; and providing guidance for chronic disease management programs. This chapter discusses the use of GIS in chronic disease investigations. It aims to expand our understanding of disparities for adverse outcomes associated with chronic diseases in a geographic context. A representative set of chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and cancer are covered. The emphasis is on GIS operations and applications rather than on statistical issues.
