Geographic Information Systems in Gerontology

ResearchDeborah Dunn, MPH

DrPH Student College Of Public Health

Graduate Center of Gerontology

Capacity and Potential of GIS in Gerontology

Communities must start to recognize the needs of various older subpopulations• Identifying local resources to address those needs

Tasks are often complicated• Older population growth attributable to new elderly• Migration patterns of older cohorts• Population density and resource availability or

access• Integration of community resources and service

delivery systems• Barriers to service resources

Objective

Geographic Information systems (GIS) can assist researchers and practitioners engaged in community specific analyses that focuses on the older populations and their resource environments.

Agenda Briefly define GIS Community based gerontology study Challenges & opportunities in

application Questions and Answers

Defining GIS GIS allows us to map a wide variety

of geographical phenomena GIS links selected attribute

information with digital representations of features in space

• Economic, Social, Health, Nominal Data• Points, lines, polygons represent hospitals,

ADD, senior centers

Visualization and Spatial Methods

Visualization of statistical data• Revealing patterns and distributions

Spatial methods using overlay analysis• Allows users to create a new layer of

information • By combining data elements from two or

more existing layers• Synthesis of multiple layers generates new

information

Example of Faith Based /Poverty

Faith Based Organizations

Prevalence of Poverty by Census tract

Faith Based Organizations in High Poverty Tracts

Other Spatial Methods Number of features located inside or

outside a specified radius, or corridor Shortest route and time of travel

between two points

GIS as a Research Tool Map longitudinal community data of

adults over age 65 Depict age-specific population

distribution and density patterns Identify geographic concentrations of

various elderly populations (ethnic minorities, older widows)

At risk populations with incomes below 125% of poverty

GIS as a Research Tool Locate community resources for older

people Evaluate the spatial relationship

between potentially at risk older and needed resources

Plan transportation routes Generate research questions and

hypotheses

Recent Research Multi-methodological study

conducted in KY Characteristics and needs of older

county residents and the adequacy of existing resources to meet those needs

Influx of older rural Appalachian residents to the urban city coupled with aging in place of baby boomers to predict resource adequacies

Study Objectives Validate and justify planning and

resource allocation directed at current and projected needs of community dwelling older county residents• Community based waiver

Make informed decisions regarding Capital development

Methods GIS was the first modality undertaken

• Provided important baseline information regarding key population characteristics of older county residents

• Located critical public and non profit and private sector county resources available

• Identified geographic gaps between older populations and community resources that might reflect an unmet need

Limitations Use of Kentucky counties as a unit of

analysis • Older residents access out of state services• Border county residents are especially likely

to go across state lines if there are more resources in another state

• Some resources such as the VA or clinics are in another county and patients must use these services Luckily the VA is in Fayette county and the FQHC

of Lexington Public Health

Spatial and Attributes Visual

Percentage change in the 65 and older population from 2000 to 2010 Just in Fayette County

2000= 2010= 31, 138 adults over the age of

65 2020 = 51,519+31,138 * .10=

79,657

2000 versus 2010 Population

Percent Change of Population

Median Age by State

Over 65 in Kentucky

Percentage of PovertyPercent of People Below Poverty Level in the Past 12 Months(Kentucky: Estimate: 17.4 Percent ,Margin of Error: +/-0.3 Percent)

GIS Raises Awareness Questions that come out of mapping

can be further addressed in community forums

Complements other research modalities regularly used in studies of older community based populations

GIS products may raise specific research questions and aid in the formation of a hypothesis

Conclusion

Geographic Information systems (GIS) can assist researchers and practitioners engaged in community specific analyses that focuses on the older populations and their resource environments.

Questions Thank you for your attendance and

time Questions?

References Arnoff, S (1991). Geographic information

systems: A management perspective. Ottawa, Canada; WDL

Rowles, G. D. & Johansson, H.K. (1993). Persistent elderly poverty in rural Appalachia. Journal of applied gerontology. 12:349- 367.

Rowles, G. D.(1981) Geographical dimensions of social support in rural Appalachia. Aging and Milieu. San Diego

US Census Bureau (2010). Census of population and housing. Summary file. Washington DC. Tiger line files.