 | | GIS at the CDCAt the CDC, GIS (Geographic Information System) technology has been applied in unique and powerful ways to a variety of public health issues. It has been used in data collection, mapping, and communication to respond to issues as wide-ranging and varied as the World Trade Center collapse, Avian flu, SARS, and Rift Valley Fever. In addition, GIS technology was used to map issues of importance during the CDC response to Hurricane Katrina, and it continues to be employed in new and interesting ways within the CDC Director’s Emergency Operations Center (DEOC). At the CDC, geospatial scientists, such as geospatial statisticians, geographers, and cartographers, have a strong history of working closely with GIS technologists to enable a variety of CDC efforts including disease surveillance, hazardous substance tracking, and reporting on a variety of issues including workplace injury, drinking water safety, and birth defects. In an ever-increasing way, the analytic and communicative power of GIS is being recognized and applied in ways that enable the practice of public health in powerful ways. |  | | GRASP GISThe Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) developed a GIS program 18 years ago to support the public health issues associated with ATSDR’s primary mission of preventing harmful exposure and disease related to toxic substances. The program, now known as the Geospatial Research, Analysis, and Services Program (GRASP) has enhanced its programmatic activities to include demographic analysis, medical geography, public health consultation, exposure assessment, contaminant modeling, image analysis, surveillance, and systems development/integration. Scientists in the program routinely use U.S. Census data, health outcome data, and environmental contaminant data collected by other Federal and State agencies to provide spatial analysis and display of public health issues. In addition, GRASP trains field personnel to collect a variety of data using Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. GRASP has evolved to include individuals with diverse backgrounds such as epidemiology, medicine, behavioral science, geography, cartography, technology, and environmental science. GRASP works closely with CDC Centers, and provides on-going GIS services and support to the DEOC. |  | | GRASP GATHERGeospatial Analysis Technology for Health and Environmental Research ("GATHER") is the system that is maintained and managed by GRASP for GIS support of public health activities at the CDC. GATHER is used by GRASP and GRASP Partners for a variety of purposes including cartography, demographic and environmental analysis, modeling, geospatial statistics, public health surveillance, and emergency preparedness and response. | | | GATHER Internet ApplicationsGRASP GATHER currently supports the following internet GIS applications: |
|