A picture is worth a thousand words. GIS, or Geographic Information Systems, provides that picture in the form of a map to broaden understanding of intricate health issues.

GIS technology displays layered data on disease, deaths and behaviors by time and place, integrating complex data for better interpretation. For example, environmentalists can pinpoint the location of hazardous waste sites and wellheads to see if water supplies might be threatened. The spatial element GIS provides is key to deciphering the complex causes of many public health problems.

Used initially by government and industry, GIS has become an essential tool for environmental studies and decision-making. GIS applications mushroomed during the 1990s and are having a fundamental impact on the way public health issues are approached.

The GIS (Geographic Information Systems) Program uses highly advanced computer mapping and database integration of environmental and health data to assist in identifying, locating and plotting information. The GIS Program is continually building a database to enhance multi-variant analysis and visual presentation. Visually displayed data make a significant impact on department planning and decision-making.

In addition to working with health department programs, the GIS program formed partnerships with other county, state and federal agencies. Projects completed by program staff include:

• Compiled base data for the Watershed Management Area 5 grant. Base data, including spatial (maps) and non-spatial (databases), are compiled in layers for analysis. GIS will play an important role in providing data to committees working on aspects of the watershed management program.
• Supported and maintained the Communicable Disease Database System, which logged over 550 cases with regional geographic analysis capabilities. Data was collected from other health officers to allow a complete regional analysis of disease trends.
• Continued mapping all monitoring well and soil sample locations for the county Underground Storage Tank Program. These locations were located using Global Positioning System, and the coordinates were extracted for electronic data transfer to NJ DEP.
• Mapped all positive avian cases of West Nile virus in Bergen, Hudson and Passaic counties for regional disease surveillance. The GIS office provided buffer maps to the Mosquito Control Division for guidance on pesticide application. Mosquito trap locations were also logged using GPS. Data from this project was shared with the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, the U.S. Geologic Survey in Reston, Virginia and the CDC.
• Participated in the Northeast Regional Applications Development Workshop sponsored by NASA to develop a strategy for all levels of government to access remote sensing data. Remote sensing data include images transmitted from satellites and are mainly used to monitor residential and commercial development.