Geographic intelligence to investigate community participation: a scoping review

Abstract

Purpose To understand the applicability and unique contributions of global positioning system (GPS) and geographic information system (GIS) technologies to investigate individuals’ participation in the community. Methods A scoping review was conducted to summarize studies that employed GPS and/or GIS to assess community participation. Systematic literature searches were performed using nine electronic databases, up to April 2022. Two independent reviewers screened studies for eligibility and extracted data from the selected studies. Results The searches retrieved 628 articles, of which 36 met the inclusion criteria. In 31 studies, a GPS unit or GPS-enabled device monitored the community mobility of individuals with different health conditions. Tracking periods varied from five hours to 30 consecutive days. The spatiotemporal parameters obtained from satellite-based data provided information about individuals’ presence in the community. Most studies combined GPS with other measuring tools (self-report diaries/questionnaires, qualitative interviews) to capture a broader description of community participation. Conclusions GPS and GIS are viable approaches for advancing research as they provide unique information about community participation not easily captured by other methods. The combination of available methods comprehensively address the physical and social dimensions of this construct. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION Global positioning system (GPS) and geographic information system (GIS) technology allows direct and real-time quantification of patterns of individuals’ community mobility. The geographic area where individuals participate in daily living activities complements information from self-report diaries/questionnaires. Combining GPS technology with self-report diaries/questionnaires allows a broader description of individuals’ community participation, addressing respectively both its physical and social dimensions. Knowledge of individuals’ access to and involvement in community locations/situations may help therapists design interventions to improve community participation.