"The first section of the book focuses on GIS materials, including spatial databases and the generic hardware and software needed to manage them. It outlines technical considerations for public health organizations and presents an exemplary public health GIS, designed especially for this book, from which many of the tables and figures in the text are drawn. Subsequent chapters demonstrate specific methods for mapping and analyzing spatial data. Described in depth are ways that GIS can be used to map health events, identify disease clusters, investigate environmental health problems, and understand the spread of communicable and vector-borne infectious disease. Also covered are strategies for assessing patterns of health services delivery and assisting community groups in identifying local health issues." "This book is an essential resource for students and professors in public health, geography, epidemiology, and health services planning and administration, as well as professionals in related fields. It will serve as a text in advanced undergraduate- and graduate-level courses."--Jacket.