Exploring Environmental and Geographical Factors Influencing the Spread of Infectious Diseases with Interactive Maps

Despite their widespread use, network visualisations can be rather challenging to design and use. This is due to the fact that such visualisations are generally used to represent highly complex underlying data sets. As such, the resulting charts often include a very large number of visual elements and many non-linear relations between them that must be displayed. More effective design-oriented approaches are therefore needed to better support designers in creating network visualisations for complex data sets that are more understandable and usable for their users. The use of visual metaphors seems to offer such an approach to designing visualisations of complex data. In this article, we propose the use of wayfinding map metaphor in network diagrams to support both the designers and users of this type of data visualisation. We also provide a mapping of the three common map wayfinding tasks – orientation, exploration, and navigation – to three categories of network diagram user interactions. To demonstrate the potential of our proposed approach, we provide an example case study using a prototype network diagram visualisation tool – Colocalisation Network Explorer – which we have developed to support the exploration of relationships between various diseases and the portion of the human genome involved in their onset.

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A conceptional model integrating geographic information systems (GIS) and social media data for disease exposure assessment

Enoe,

Sutherland,

Davis

et al. 2024

Geospat Health

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Although previous studies have acknowledged the potential of geographic information systems (GIS) and social media data (SMD) in assessment of exposure to various environmental risks, none has presented a simple, effective and user-friendly tool. This study introduces a conceptual model that integrates individual mobility patterns extracted from social media, with the geographic footprints of infectious diseases and other environmental agents utilizing GIS. The efficacy of the model was independently evaluated for selected case studies involving lead in the ground; particulate matter in the air; and an infectious, viral disease (COVID- 19). A graphical user interface (GUI) was developed as the final output of this study. Overall, the evaluation of the model demonstrated feasibility in successfully extracting individual mobility patterns, identifying potential exposure sites and quantifying the frequency and magnitude of exposure. Importantly, the novelty of the developed model lies not merely in its efficiency in integrating GIS and SMD for exposure assessment, but also in considering the practical requirements of health practitioners. Although the conceptual model, developed together with its associated GUI, presents a promising and practical approach to assessment of the exposure to environmental risks discussed here, its applicability, versatility and efficacy extends beyond the case studies presented in this study.

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Exploring Environmental and Geographical Factors Influencing the Spread of Infectious Diseases with Interactive Maps

Cited by 3 publications

References 69 publications

A Web-Based Prototype Dashboard for the Visualization of Spatiotemporal Trends of Respiratory Syncytial Virus

A Web-Based Prototype Dashboard for the Visualization of Spatiotemporal Trends of Respiratory Syncytial Virus

Designing complex network visualisations using the wayfinding map metaphor

A conceptional model integrating geographic information systems (GIS) and social media data for disease exposure assessment

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