ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the use of geographic information system (GIS) to evaluate health and health care from a geographical perspective. GIS has a major role to play in evaluating small-area health patterns, identifying where populations and health care need are located and in the targeting of resources. The chapter begins with a brief review of why geography is important in health care planning and analysis. It considers the use of GIS and spatial analysis to help manage health care provision, access and utilisation. The chapter argues that GIS is an important tool for visualising health inequalities, identifying small-area health needs and evaluating access to health care facilities. It also explores a range of examples in which GIS and spatial data analysis have been applied in order to evaluate the need for and provision of care to meet the needs of small-area populations.
