An Overview of Spatial Analysis of Emerging Infectious Diseases

Abstract

Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) are of increasing global concern, and quantitative geography can play an important role in integrating spatial data describing drivers of disease emergence and building models of EID risk. This article lays out the key issues of EIDs and describes problems and opportunities for integrative quantitative geography to inform on patterns of EIDs. Issues of data quality are highlighted, as are methods of spatial analysis and forms of research communication and visualization as they relate to the study of EIDs. Our review demonstrates that geography is critically needed in EID research, and many of the issues central to understanding and predicting EIDs are inherently of a geographical nature.

浮现中的传染性疾病 (EIDs), 逐渐成为全球性的考量, 而量化地理可在整合描绘疾病浮现驱力的空间信息与建立 EID 风险的模式中, 扮演重要的角色。本文提出 EIDs 的关键议题, 并描绘整合性量化地理提供讯息给 EIDs 模式的问题与机会。本文凸显数据质量的议题, 以及空间分析方法与研究沟通及视觉化的形式, 这些问题皆与 EIDs 的研究有关。我们的回顾显示, EID 研究极度需要地理学, 且理解及预测 EIDs 中的诸多核心议题, 本身便具有地理的本质。

Las enfermedades infecciosas emergentes (EIDs) son preocupación global en aumento, y la geografía cuantitativa puede jugar un papel importante para integrar datos espaciales que describen las condiciones favorables para la aparición de la enfermedad, y en la construcción de modelos de riesgo de EID. Este artículo presenta las características claves de EIDs y describe los problemas y oportunidades que tiene la geografía cuantitativa integradora para informar sobre los patrones de EIDs. Se destacan problemas sobre calidad de los datos, lo mismo que los métodos de análisis espacial y formas de comunicación y visualización de la investigación en cuanto relacionadas con el estudio de EIDs. Nuestra revisión demuestra que la geografía se necesita críticamente en la investigación de EIDs, y que muchas de las cuestiones que son centrales para entender y predecir EIDs son inherentemente de naturaleza geográfica.

Key Words:

• emerging infectious diseases
• risk
• spatial analysis

关键词:

• 浮现中的传染性疾病
• 风险
• 空间分析

Palabras clave:

• enfermedades infecciosas emergentes
• riesgo
• análisis espacial

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Colin Robertson

COLIN ROBERTSON is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography & Environmental Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Ave. West, Waterloo, ON, Canada, N2L 3C5. E-mail: [email protected]. His research interests include the geography of emerging infectious diseases, spatial modeling and analysis methods, and novel sources of geographic information.

Trisalyn A. Nelson

TRISALYN A. NELSON is an Associate Professor and research chair in Spatial Sciences at the University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada V8W 3R4. E-mail: [email protected]. She is director of the Spatial Pattern Analysis and Research (SPAR) Lab. Generally, Dr. Nelson's research develops and uses spatial and spatial-temporal analyses to address applied questions in ecology, forestry, and health. She is particularly interested in developing approaches to quantify space–time change.