Geocoding and GIS analysis of displaced populations

Joshua R. Vest, MPH; Jessie Patton-Levine, BS; Adolfo M. Valadez, MD, MPH

doi:10.5055/jem.2007.0015

Authors

Joshua R. Vest, MPH
Jessie Patton-Levine, BS
Adolfo M. Valadez, MD, MPH

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/jem.2007.0015

Keywords:

Public health, disaster, evacuation, sheltering, geographic information systems.

Abstract

Disasters resulting in mass displacement have ramifications for communities beyond the affected areas. Information on the community from which individuals were displaced may prove useful for government agencies and those providing assistance to the individuals fleeing the disaster. TIGER/Line® street centerline files and online mapping applications were used to produce geographic information on households displaced by Hurricane Katrina to Austin, TX. Overall, 88.2 percent of the displaced households were geocoded. Households were described according to census tract characteristics, New Orleans wards, and location within flooded areas. Combining geographic datasets is useful for planners in assessing the needs of displaced populations. Data access was not a barrier to a high match rate, and current Internet-based technology may be utilized to overcome potential unfamiliarity with disaster stricken locations.

Author Biographies

Joshua R. Vest, MPH

Austin/Travis County Health & Human Services Department, Austin, Texas.

Jessie Patton-Levine, BS

Austin/Travis County Health & Human Services Department, Austin, Texas.

Adolfo M. Valadez, MD, MPH

Austin/Travis County Health & Human Services Department, Austin, Texas.

References

Mynard C, Keating G, Rich P: GIS for emergency response: Lessons from the Cerro Grande wildfire. J Emerg Manag. 2005; 3(1): 19-28.

National Climatic Data Center: Climate of 2005: Summary of Hurricane Katrina. Dec. 29, 2005.Available at http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/2005/katrina.html. Accessed March 2, 2006.

US Census Bureau: American Fact Finder: Glossary. Accessed Feb 22, 2006.

Gilboa SM, Mendola P, Olshan AF, et al.: Comparison of residential geocoding methods in population-based study of air quality and birth defects. Environmen Res. 2006; 101(2): 256-262.

US Census Bureau: Poverty definitions. Available at http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/definitions.html. Accessed June 30, 2006.

LSU GIS Information Clearinghouse: Baton Rouge, LA: CADGSI Research Lab, Louisianna State University, 2006.

Stinchcomb D: Procedures for geomasking to protect confidentiality. In the ESRI International Health GIS Conference, Washington DC, 2004.

McElroy JA, Remington PL, Trentham-Dietz A, et al.: Geocoding addresses from a large population-based study: Lessons learned. Epidemiology. 2003; 14(4): 399-407.

Vine MF, Degnan D, Hanchette C. Geographic information systems: Their use in environmental epidemiologic research. Envrionmen Health Perspect. 1997; 105(6): 598-605.

Krieger N,Waterman P, Lemieux K, et al.: On the wrong side of the tracts? Evaluating the accuracy of geocoding in public health research. Am J Public Health. 2001; 91(7): 1114-1116.

Cromley EK, McLafferty SL: GIS and Public Health. New York: The Guilford Press, 2002.

Leus X, Wallace J, Loretti A: Internally displaced persons. Prehospital Disaster Med. 2001; 16(3): 116-123.