Visual localisation of community health needs to rational decision-making in public health services

The objectives were to visualise the locations of community health needs and to develop a community health needs assessment geographic information system (GIS) for rational decision-making in public health services. We compiled census data, digital data of basic planning maps, digital data of topographic maps, contents of registers of medical and welfare facilities, and statistics of establishments into a geographical database; visualised geographical distributions of specific community health needs by integrating sets of indicators to reflect individual needs; and quantified their clustering by the nearest neighbour method. The database aggregated 3400 items of demographic, life and environmental factors. Thematic maps and clustering values showed different patterns of geographical distribution of the individual community needs. Means to match needs with services in smaller geographical units were discussed. This GIS will support appropriate resource allocation, intersectoral collaboration and greater transparency in planning and implementing services, by visualising locations of community health needs. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.