[Establishment of minimum medical geographic information systems database in China].
OBJECTIVE
To establish a minimum medical geographic information systems (GIS) database as a spatial decision supporting system (SDSS), and to use the database into public health practice in China.


METHODS
Spatial data collected from different sources were standardized as decimal degree format, including: (1) satellite images covering areas of China; (2) digital maps of China in vector files; (3) diseases database and relevant models.


RESULTS
Necessary satellite images for the database have been collected from NOAA AVHRR, Landsat TM, etc., including the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) images from AVHRR, earth surface temperature images from AVHRR, GTOPO30 DEM images from USGS and landuse images from USGS. The digital vector files for GIS analysis were collected including political (county, provinces, country) boundaries file, environmental (drainage, land cover, soil type) vector file, population data and climate data; Data on diseases mainly generated from survey or case reporting. Relevant models on transmission of Schistosoma japonicum and Plasmodium vivax, and models of Oncomelania hupensis and Anophores sinansis were developed, and the relevant environmental factors related to incidence of cancers were mapped, to test and verify those database.


CONCLUSIONS
The database unified the data from different sources for users. Minimum medical data included in the database could be used in the practice of public health. It is expected that this database be used in a wider range.
Zhou
Xiao-nong
XN
Institute of Parasitic Diseases Control and Prevention, Chinese Center Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai 200025, China.
Hu
Xiao-shu
XS
Yang
Guo-jing
GJ
Sun
Ning-sheng
NS
Wang
Tian-ping
TP
Malone
J
J
McCarroll
J
J
Lin
Dan-dan
DD
Hong
Qing-biao
QB
Sun
Le-ping
LP
Zhang
Zhi-ying
ZY
Xu
De-zhong
DZ
D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000469:parasitology; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D004199:Disease Vectors; D004463:Ecology; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D010966:Plasmodium vivax; D017215:Satellite Communications; D012554:Schistosomiasis japonica / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D012908:Snails / Q000469:parasitology