Assignment

on
Application of GIS in social problem analysis

Course Title: ANP-545

Submitted to,
Mokhlesur Rahman
Associate professor
Dpartment of Anthropology
SUST, Sylhet
Submitted By,
Irin Akter
2018224011
Masters 2nd semester
Department of Anthropology
SUST, Sylhet
Date of submission: 25-11-2020

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 Table of Contents

Introduction...............................................................................................................................................3
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)..................................................................................................3
History of GIS in social science................................................................................................................4
Why GIS in social science.........................................................................................................................5
What can GIS do for research..................................................................................................................5
GIS Applications in Social Sciences.........................................................................................................5
Exploring the role of GIS during community health assessment problem solving...............................8
Application of GIS in COVID-19 Pandemic............................................................................................9
Conclusion................................................................................................................................................10
References................................................................................................................................................11

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Introduction

The use of Geographic Information Systems, or GIS, is now not longstanding within geography only.
Over the past few years, its usefulness and popularity have begun to diffuse into other social sciences,
where both practitioners and students are increasingly expected to produce and consume information that
presumes familiarity with GIS analysis. In many fields, such as health or crime, spatial analysis and GIS-
based research have become almost ubiquitous. The teaching of GIS methods, however, often remains
firmly lodged inside geography departments, and instruction can be stubbornly divorced from applied
topics and research questions. GIS and the Social Sciences offers a uniquely social science approach on
the theory and application of GIS with a range of modern examples. It explores how human geography
can engage with a variety of important policy issues through linking together GIS and spatial analysis,
and demonstrates the importance of applied GIS and spatial analysis for solving real-world problems in
both the public and private sector. Now the uses of GIS is not only the method of geography, it has been
also uses in social sciences for addressing and solving various human problems.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

A geographic information system (GIS) is a framework for gathering, managing, and analyzing data.
Rooted in the science of geography, GIS integrates many types of data. It analyzes spatial location and
organizes layers of information into visualizations using maps and 3D scenes. With this unique capability,
GIS reveals deeper insights into data, such as patterns, relationships, and situations—helping users make
smarter decisions. The term 'Geographic Information Systems' (GIS) defines those computerized systems
designed to gather, store, manage, visualize and analyze data with a spatial component. While GIS is
generally used to refer to software applications created to manage geographic information, in truth GIS
are also defined by other key components such as the spatial data being analyzed, the hardware and the
human component defined by users' training, experience and decisions ( Ballas et al., 2017).

 what is GIS?
 “G”: Where Information about people and places is location based. Street address, zip or area
code, census block, x,y coordinates, latitude and longitude, etc.
 “I”: What Data from survey, interview, observation, existing database, indifferent format.
Extending the “I”: Allows the incorporation of video, audio, photos and text.
Another Component: When Time animation, Spatial Temporal analysis
 “S”: System Hardware, software, data model

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History of GIS in social science

In the mid-19th century, when population growth in London was far outstripping the capacity of existing
infrastructure (and when germ theory was still in its infancy), cholera outbreaks were a frequent
phenomenon and response was hampered by lack of understanding regarding the mode of transmission.
John Snow, a physician today considered the father of modern epidemiology, conceived of mapping
cholera deaths along with the locations of water pumps. This map, seen in Figure 1,is often considered
one of the first examples of ‘spatial analysis’ and even today highlights advantages of visualizing data on
a map, as well as considering spatial interconnections between multiple types of information (in this case,
cholera deaths and water pumps). The innovation is not so much in the underlying data collection process,
although Snow was thorough in interviewing affected households and querying their water collection
behavior – after all, mid-19th-century England was good at collecting statistics. The fact remains, though,
that evaluating these data in tabular format, versus on a neighborhood map, allows very different
conclusions. The former tells us the typical age and sex of those affected, for example, while the latter
gives a clear picture of the spatial clustering in the illness that existed (these are the black bars lining the
streets in the map). The innovation that elevates this figure from simply a useful map to an excellent
spatial analysis example, however, is the juxtaposition of water pump locations and cholera mortality.
This allowed Snow – and subsequent generations of viewers – to hypothesize about possible connections
between water quality and cholera spread. In a fitting conclusion to a fascinating tale, Snow was
successful in arguing for the pump handle to be removed from the Broad Street pump, which was a
common source of water for many
of those afflicted.

Figure 1. John Snow’s map of

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Source: Snow (1854).Image retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Snow-choleramap-1.jpg (last accessed 9May
2017)

Why GIS in social science

Allows for the integration and comparison of contextual data from social as well as environmental or
physical standpoint. Researchers need to identify where the differences, similarities, correlations, and
interactions exist. GIS can accommodate both qualitative and quantitative variables into a study.

What can GIS do for research

 Visualization
 Pattern Analysis
 Spatial Relationships
 Others

GIS Applications in Social Sciences

Social science is a discipline that tends to study and investigate how humans live and associate with each
other in society. It also explores the various way human have led their lives through politics as well as the
past customs or current ways of doing things known as culture. They also investigate how humans are
struggling to survive with the limited resources available known as economic geography. This extensive
study on human ways has led to a man studying and exploring the earth more extensively than ever. GIS
has thus also realized a major role in these social sciences that form an integral part of human beings.
Some of the applications of GIS in social sciences include:

List of applications of GIS in social sciences

1. Public health: Public health seeks to address the health issues affecting people at the basic level or
even at a larger national perspective. In the case of disease outbreaks, GIS is among the few systems that
the government uses to do statistics. This does not, however, always mean that GIS is used only during
crises but is also applied to ensure prevention and control of certain diseases. GIS ability to provide the
mapping capabilities has proved to work well also with the health sector. Patterns of past diseases on a
map are also sharable and displayable on digital maps. These maps can be zoomed for increased clarity
and view of more study areas. The availability of digital maps at any part of the world has over the years
contributed to the huge ambiguity of GIS in the health sector. With these vigorous functionalities, better

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decision making is realizable to the fullest in health-related issues. GIS can also be used to determine the
relationship between geographic features and diseases contracted by persons living in those areas. Secure
geographic information systems can be used to collect data from varying sources and perform statistical
methods on the data.

2. Real estate development: Mapping in the survey, geographic statistics, and location addresses are one
of the uses of GIS in real estate. A large collection of data is analyzed to help investors determine which
areas would best prosper and work for real estate. It is done by even considering population and
demographic features available in a given location. Land with the best characteristics can be sorted an
organized as-needed together with its characteristics. Robust geographic systems may be designed to even
send update information to clients who have indicated interest in real estate.

3. Urban and Rural Planning: Various ideas and innovations are being brought out by GIS to ensure the
construction of world-class cities, towns, and rural areas with the least congestion. Various developments
like electricity, roads, railway, optic fibre, water and sewer lines which determine how an urban or rural
area are also in control of Geographic Information Systems.

4. Geo-demographics: This social science involves studying a population of a given location. This
population might belong to human beings or even sometimes animals. Geo-demographics specifically
seek to address how many people are living at a given place over a certain time. Population maps can thus
be analyzed using GIS.

5. History: History is the social science that involves the study of past activities. Geographic history
involves the study of formation and activities of geographic features like volcanic mountains, plateaus,
hills, and plains and depressions. All these features affected humans who existed then and must be studied
to always be on the lookout today. History also involves the study and excavation of fossils. Fuels like
petroleum and human remains are part of the fossils studied. These remains are usually in most cases
buried very deep below the earth serves after long periods of geo-activities. It may thus be difficult to
piece out useful information without the use of geographic systems like GIS. The Geographic Information
System can be used to analyze their depths and characteristics before even an actual excavation by
historians who want to do further research on them. GIS is thus essential in tracking the existence of man
in History.

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6. Emergency planning: In this field of study, much can be done through GIS. We all acknowledge that
sometimes emergencies are unavoidable and wise decisions must be made to save lives. These
emergencies, like flooding and fire tragedies, require a quick response and accurate mapping by relevant
authorities in various governments which has been done manually. However, most governments have,
with time begun to adopt GIS to help in any analyses that may be required. GIS can be integrated with
weather systems to offer predictions and useful statistics that help in decision making by the government.
Satellite images of places encountering disasters can also be sent for analysis and giving way forward to
any base station on earth for processing by GIS. These systems would send help to enable navigation
during evacuation operations of affected victims.

7. Criminology: Criminal investigation by intelligence services has received great help from GIS. People
who may be undertaking illegal activities can be tracked. Some satellites even can view images on earth,
and this can be used to haunt those trying to escape the arm of the law. Digital images displayed on
computer systems of police departments are delivered at ease for investigation operations.

8. Transport modelling and support: Aviation is one of the fields in transport that receives maximum
support from GIS. Transportation by Air is so delicate that the systems put in place must be very accurate
to avoid plane crash tragedies. Location of aircraft can be tracked by the use of radars that are integrated
with GIS, and this is very useful during reporting of air travel emergencies that might require quick
action. Structures like those erected on roads and railways must also be fully analyzed before their
construction starts. The road and rail construction cannot be completed in some places that have
hazardous potential in the future. Slopes and drainage features are thus easier to study on who they can in
the future or today affect transport systems.

Application of GIS technique in anthropology

As anthropology is concern about every issues which are human related. It try to address various problem
of them. GIS technique can also be used in anthropological research for addressing human problem and
solving them. Medical anthropology studies "human health and disease, health care systems, and
bicultural adaptation”. It views humans from multidimensional and ecological perspectives. It is one of
the most highly developed areas of anthropology and applied anthropology, and is a subfield of social and
cultural anthropology that examines the ways in which culture and society are organized around or
influenced by issues of health, health care and related issues. In medical anthropology, anthropology often

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deals with public health related issues. Some popular topics that are covered by medical anthropology are
mental health, sexual health, pregnancy and birth, aging, addiction, nutrition, disabilities, infectious
disease, NCD's, global epidemics, Disaster management, public health assessment and more.

Here GIS technique can be also used for exploring the assessment of community health related problem.

Exploring the role of GIS during community health assessment problem solving

A Community health assessment (CHA) involves the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in
conjunction with other software to analyze health and population data and perform numerical-spatial
problem solving. There has been little research on identifying how public health professionals integrate
this software during typical problem solving scenarios. A better understanding of this is needed to answer
the "What" and the "How". The "What" identifies the specific software being used and the "How"
explains the way they are integrated together during problem solving steps. This level of understanding
will highlight the role of GIS utilization during problem solving and suggest to developers how GIS can
be enhanced to better support data analysis during community health assessment.

Background

The Community health assessment (CHA) is an integral part of public health. A CHA can determine: the
major health issues for a defined community, the governmental resources that need to be allocated, and
the types of public health initiatives that need to be implemented. They can be conducted by: local or state
health departments, universities, or private foundations. There can be many components that comprise a
CHA (such as defining a geographic area of interest, establishing, and then implementing a health plan
for a defined community). This will focus solely on the analyzing of health and population data (data
analysis) phase of the assessment.

The term, "numerical-spatial problem solving" refers to performing numerical and spatial functions to
analyze the health status of a geographic area (or areas) of interest. This type of problem solving entails
two components: a numerical component, and a spatial component. When the action to solve a problem
only involves manipulation or use of numerical data (for example calculating a crude rate or summing a
series of numbers), this is considered a numerical component. When the action to solve a problem only
involves manipulation or use of spatial data (for example objects that have a coordinate value), this is
considered a numerical component. GIS describes a numerical-spatial scenario as one that involves both
spatial and numerical steps, and can be described as such:

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 1. Identify geographic community of interest
2. .Identify health factors within the community
3. Identify bordering communities of interest
4. Identify health factors within bordering communities
5. Compare factors within community against factors of bordering community
6. Identify aggregate (state-wide, or national, etc) community
7. Identify health factors within aggregate community
8. Compare factors within community against factors of aggregate community

Use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can facilitate numerical-spatial problem solving. This can
be seen by looking as far back as John Snow's methodology for examining the deadly Cholera outbreak in
mid-nineteen century London. In order to support his hypothesis that the outbreak was caused by
contaminated water, Snow combined numerical data (death counts) with spatial data (city map of
London). By plotting this numerical information on the spatial information, Snow was able to identify
that most of the deaths occurred in the vicinity of the Broad St. water pump. Snow obviously didn't use a
GIS application to solve the problem; however, a similar scenario could be analyzed today by combining
numerical information with electronic spatial data within a GIS.

GIS have been around for many years as a tool for projects such as city planning, assigning environment
protection areas, and telecommunications research. It is recognized as a technology for analyzing,
displaying, and manipulating spatial data. A GIS environment consists of layers (land, rivers, roads,
buildings, cities, etc) on top of one another to form a detailed digital map. GIS technology is not intended
to just display spatial information; it supports several powerful analysis functions such as determining
best routes between two locations (network analysis), buffering (a specified distance around a particular
location such as a hospital or outpatient clinic), and geo-coding (mapping coordinate points on a map
such as a cohort of patients with a known environmentally induced condition). These functionalities can
be very beneficial during community health assessment analysis.

Application of GIS in COVID-19 Pandemic

GIS technique can be used for assessment of public health issue during this COVID-19 situation. Already
our government has taken some useful steps for coping with this problem with the help of GIS. For
example corona tracker app. In this COVID-19 situation many technological tools have been used for
helping the common people. As every people are said to stay at home, this GIS system can be useful for
getting information about population health. Through this technique, it has become to identify corona
affected people very easily. It also can be useful for raising awareness among people about the pandemic

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of COVID-19. People who has doubt of affecting by corona can get online appointment for corona test
and then they can easily test. Many doctors are serving online help for the corona affected people. After
getting instruction from doctors many people are surviving in Bangladesh. Everything has been easy for
helping corona affected people only because the help of GIS.

Conclusion

So we can say that, GIS is very important technique which should be used in social science research for
assessing human problem and solving them. Although nowadays much of social researchers are not using
this technique for addressing human problem. As the world is becoming digitalized day by day, the
researcher will use this technique for addressing various complex problem of people. GIS helps to create
data visualization that is easily disseminated to other academics, students, or the public. The data sets
used in GIS can be easily shared with other researchers to help build on the original data in new and
interesting ways. Maps are a great tool to show the interaction between different variables, especially
those which are normally only described through traditional mediums like written papers. Geospatial data
sets also help with ethnographic work, as they can help to create a more representative scope of
individuals and communities. The use of GIS in social science and humanities research can help to create
a better analysis of studied interactions and phenomena. Maps are able to supplement ethnographic
approaches – and while grafting data into visual form may prove to be tricky, it provides a more robust
analysis of the data. GIS can also help a researcher cross disciplinary boundaries when working on an
interdisciplinary project or question. Areas like Geography, Psychology, Sociology, Economics, and
Political Science can be better explored with GIS when spatial data is a part of the study. Examples
include analyzing political elections, population distribution, land use, environmental degradation, along
with how any of these (or other) variables interact with each other.

Besides the benefits to the analysis, I also believe that utilizing GIS combined with the Story Maps
software will allow for better public dissemination of the results. Creating visual representations of data
helps to clear the ‘hurdle’ of academic language and jargon, a problem for many researchers who want
their information made available to the public. By creating these maps and making them available online,
the information can reach a wider audience. This public dissemination also places the data in the hands of
the studied communities, giving them the tools to create lasting systemic change.

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References

 Ballas D, Clarke G, Rachel S. Franklin & Newing A. (2017). GIS and the Social Sciences:
Theory and Applications. Routledge press. London.
 GIS applications in social sciences: https://grindgis.com/blog/gis-applications-in-social-sciences.

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