Applying GIS and Spatial Analysis to Studies of Health in Children with Disabilities
Abstract People with developmental disabilities live in a geographic context that influences their quality of life. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can be used to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze such a context. At an individual and community level, GIS can be used to create a plan of action that ameliorates the life of people with disabilities. A brief introduction to GIS is followed by a review of studies that incorporated GIS to determine the challenges that people with disabilities undertake to access health services, recreational facilities, and grocery stores. Lack of public transportation, poverty, neighborhood crimes, and scarcity of doctors trained to interact with these individuals make life difficult for persons with disabilities and their caregivers. The second part of this chapter reviews studies that link the effect of pollution to the rate of developmental disorders. For example, increased rates of autism have been linked to toxic release and location of industrial facilities and National Priority List superfunds. In a similar way, preliminary results show that air pollution from road traffic influences mortality rate of infants with Down syndrome. GIS can be easily incorporated in epidemiologic studies, providing an out-of-the-box perspective that aids to address limitations and hazards in the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities.