Abstract
Geographic information systems (GIS) are underused as a tool for health policy analysis. We present a case study that (i) identifies sociodemographic, environmental, and health variables for which spatial data are available for Melbourne, Australia; (ii) reviews the literature about the traffic‐related parameters that are risk factors for asthma emergencies; (iii) applies this information within a GIS to identify populations living in proximity to harmful exposures; and then (iv) maps the most at‐risk neighborhoods. The case study identifies the locations of residential districts with high asthma incidence rates that are located near highways. These places would likely be priority communities for public health asthma control interventions. Spatial analysis can be a valuable tool for design, implementation, and evaluation of cost‐effective policies. We recommend integrating more spatial epidemiology into evidence‐based policy, planning, and resource allocation decisions.
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