title: Advances in spatial epidemiology and geographic information systems.
abstract: The field of spatial epidemiology has evolved rapidly in the past 2 decades. This study serves as a brief introduction to spatial epidemiology and the use of geographic information systems in applied research in epidemiology. We highlight technical developments and highlight opportunities to apply spatial analytic methods in epidemiologic research, focusing on methodologies involving geocoding, distance estimation, residential mobility, record linkage and data integration, spatial and spatio-temporal clustering, small area estimation, and Bayesian applications to disease mapping. The articles included in this issue incorporate many of these methods into their study designs and analytical frameworks. It is our hope that these studies will spur further development and utilization of spatial analysis and geographic information systems in epidemiologic research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Family Health, University of South Florida, Tampa. Electronic address: rkirby@health.usf.edu.
authors.forename: Russell S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Kirby
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of North Carolina-Charlotte, Charlotte.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Delmelle
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia.
authors.forename: Jan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Eberth
mesh_terms: D001499:Bayes Theorem; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D040362:Geographic Information Systems / Q000458:organization & administration*; D062305:Geographic Mapping; D006801:Humans; D012107:Research Design; D062206:Spatial Analysis
keywords: Geocoding; Geographic information systems (GIS); Geographic mapping; Health services accessibility; Spatial analysis; Spatial epidemiology; Spatial regression; Spatiotemporal analysis