Geographic Information Systems for Risk Evaluation: Perspectives on Applications to Environmental Health

Nyerges, Timothy L.; Robkin, Maurice A.; Moore, Thomas J.

doi:10.1559/152304097782476960

Cited by 18 publications

(23 citation statements)

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“…GIS methods enable data integration and permit very high resolution analysis of patterns in health outcomes and environmental factors (Nyerges et al, 1997 ) . The study findings indicate particulate pollution producing respiratory illness at the intra-city level similar to that observed in studies using between -city level comparisons from the U.S., Canada, and Europe.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Childhood respiratory symptoms, hospital admissions, and long-term exposure to airborne particulate matter

Hrubá¹,

Fabiánovà²,

Koppová³

et al. 2001

J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol

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The effects of long -term exposure to air pollution on respiratory symptoms and respiratory hospitalization ( for asthma, bronchitis or pneumonia ) were assessed in a cross -sectional study of children ( ages 7 ± 11 years, N = 667 ) living in a moderately industrialized city in Central Slovakia. Individual health, residence and family history data obtained through the CESAR study were coupled, using Geographic Information System ( GIS ) technologies, with total suspended particulate ( TSP ) exposure estimates derived from dispersion modeling of almost all local stationary sources. These data were used to assess, at the intra -city level and child -specific level, the potential for TSP as a risk factor for respiratory disease in children. TSP, PM 10 , and PM 2.5 monitored ambient concentrations are highly correlated in the study location. Modeled TSP concentrations resulting from local source emissions are dominated by a large wood processing facility, suggesting variation in exposures among children. The prevalence of respiratory non -asthmatic symptoms and hospitalizations was associated with increased TSP. No association between long -term exposure to TSP and asthma diagnosis or wheeze symptoms was found. Logistic regression modeling indicated a significant increase in hospital admissions for asthma, bronchitis or pneumonia associated with increasing air pollution ( OR 2.16, CI, 1.01 ± 4.60 ) , doctor -diagnosed bronchitis ( OR 1.53, CI, 1.02 ± 2.30 ) , and parent -reported chronic phlegm ( OR 3.43, CI, 1.64 ± 7.16 ) , expressed as odds for a 15 g / m 3 increase in estimated TSP exposure, and these increases are not due to differences in socio -economic, health care or other identified factors.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Childhood respiratory symptoms, hospital admissions, and long-term exposure to airborne particulate matter

Hrubá¹,

Fabiánovà²,

Koppová³

et al. 2001

J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol

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“…The benefits of using GIS technology for environmental risk assessment are well documented (e.g., McMaster et al, 1997;Nyerges et al, 1997;Chakraborty et al, 1999) . GIS allows for the integration of multiple date sources, visual representation of complex geographic data, and the application of various spatial analytic techniques (Sheppard et al, 1999 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analyzing exposure of school children to accidental releases of hazardous substances

Chakraborty

2001

J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol

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Concerns regarding consequences of hazardous chemical accidents and children's environmental health have increased substantially in recent years. The objectives of this paper are to: ( a ) demonstrate a methodology for identifying areas potentially exposed to accidental releases of hazardous substances in a large metropolitan region ( Hillsborough County, Florida ) ; ( b ) examine the number and type of schools and school children at risk; and ( c ) explore the relationship between potential exposure levels and school enrollment patterns in the region. Methods based on the integration of environmental modeling and geographic information systems ( GIS ) technology are used to achieve these goals. The results indicate that almost 80% of schools and enrolled students in the study area is potentially exposed to worst -case accidents. Compared to elementary school children, a higher proportion of middle school children and a lower proportion of high school students are exposed to multiple releases of hazardous chemicals. A significant and negative association is observed between exposure levels and school enrollment size, which suggests fewer children in regions of highest exposure.

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“…Maps have long been used as decision aids and the advent of desktop GISs technology has increased use of GIS in public sector and participatory decision making ( 62–65 ) and for understanding risk. ( 66 ) Other geographic tools have been used to aid understanding of risk issues in DOE cleanup contexts. ( 67,68 ) Combining standard HTML code with geographic image maps in the DMS allowed users to gain access to Hanford information in an unprecedented way.…”

Section: Implementing the Dms Pilot Projectmentioning

confidence: 99%

Promoting Transparency of Long‐Term Environmental Decisions: The Hanford Decision Mapping System Pilot Project

Drew¹,

Nyerges²,

Leschine³

2004

Risk Analysis

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Nuclear waste cleanup is a challenging and complex problem that requires both scientific analysis and dialogue among a variety of stakeholders. This article describes an effort to develop an online information system that supports this analytic-deliberative dialogue by integrating cleanup information for the Hanford Site, and making it more "transparent." A framework for understanding and evaluating transparency guided system development. Working directly with stakeholders, we identified information needs and developed new ways to organize and present the information so that it would be more transparent to interested parties, with the ultimate aim of fostering greater participation in decision dialogues and processes. The complexity of the information needed for dialogue suggested that several types of communication devices ("information structures") were warranted. Five information structures were developed for the pilot Decision Mapping System (http://nalu.geog.washington.edu/dms). Decision maps hyperlinked decision information to maps of Hanford. Background Information provided context in a narrative format. Decision Paths organized decision process information on a timeline and provided direct hyperlinks to online documentation. The Geographic Library hyperlinked decision documents to maps. Finally, a Discussion Forum allowed users to make comments and view remarks from others. Early lessons from this work suggest that transparency is integral to long-term management, a participatory design process contributed greatly to its perceived success, and better data integration to support decision making is needed. This work has broad implications for risk communicators and risk managers because it speaks to the design of information systems to support "analytic-deliberative" decision processes (i.e., those that rely upon both risk science and public dialogue).

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Geographic Information Systems for Risk Evaluation: Perspectives on Applications to Environmental Health

Cited by 18 publications

References 0 publications

Childhood respiratory symptoms, hospital admissions, and long-term exposure to airborne particulate matter

Childhood respiratory symptoms, hospital admissions, and long-term exposure to airborne particulate matter

Analyzing exposure of school children to accidental releases of hazardous substances

Promoting Transparency of Long‐Term Environmental Decisions: The Hanford Decision Mapping System Pilot Project

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