GIS for Health

ABOUT THE PROJECT

A side-by side-image of a Texas map with GIS data.

Sponsor:

THRC's Community Health and Economic Resilience Research (CHERR) Center of Excellence

PI:

Dr. Shadi Maleki

Research Pillar(s):

An icon of a road with a leaf cluster as the middle pavement marking.
A briefcase icon with a Red Cross symbol, meant to represent the STEM and Healthcare Workforce priority.
A head icon with a heart in place of a brain, meant to represent the Personal Health and Wellbeing pillar.
An icon of an medical monitor showing heart beat activity, meant to represent the Digital Healthcare Transformation pillar.
An ambulance moving at high speed with the siren on, meant to represent the Emergency Preparedness pillar.

GIS for Health maximizes research participation and impact for specific populations by incorporating local patterns and geographic context. It is a crucial tool for analyzing and visualizing place-based data, helping to understand social determinants of health and improve community resilience.  

GIS can be used to examine health outcomes and identify patterns and disparities that are influenced by factors such as income, education, and access to healthcare. By mapping resources like clinics and grocery stores, GIS reveals areas lacking essential services, such as healthy food and healthcare.  

This ability to visualize gaps enables policymakers to design targeted interventions for at-risk populations, leading to more effective resource allocation and tailored health programs.  

Researchers & Collaborators

Headshot of Dr. Shadki Maleki.

Dr. Shadi Maleki

Researcher, THRC
An image of Texas in ArcGIS

GIS Services for Research

We map federal and state datasets to visualize differences in health outcomes among people in rural areas or those at risk for various health conditions.

GIS MAP PRODUCTS

View maps that focus on topics impacting health+resilience in Texas communities.

The 2019 Texas Community Resilience Dashboard shows the different levels of vulnerability to disasters and similar events such as pandemics at the county level in Texas. It also shows risk factor predominancy for each county and the relative level of vulnerability compared to the national estimates.  

The Physical Activity & Mental Health Dashboard dashboard represents the relationship between the percentage of adults reporting 14 or more days of poor mental health per month and the percentage of adults aged 20 and over reporting no leisure time for physical activity.

The Health Literacy Scores in Texas dashboard shows health literacy scores in Texas at the block group and county levels. It also includes a map that shows the relationship between health literacy scores and health outcome rankings.

This web application shows the predominant risk factor for heart health in each county. The risk factors included in this map are high cholesterol, being overweight, physical inactivity, and smoking.

This map shows the percentage of people who live near a park. By clicking on each state, a table showing the prevalence of high blood pressure and coronary heart disease will open. It is possible to see an association between living close to a park and the prevalence of high blood pressure and coronary heart disease.

This dashboard shows the percent change in food insecurity and price per meal between 2019 and 2020 in Texas counties.

This map shows the percent change in excessive drinking between 2019 and 2022 in Texas counties. 

STORY MAP

Food Insecurity and Consumption in Texas Story Map

This story map discusses food insecurity, access, and consumption in Texas counties.

Desktop version of the story map >> 

For more information about food insecurity in the elderly population specifically, visit the NUEVA website.

PUBLICATIONS

Mapping Access to Children’s Hospitals in Texas

Authors: Shadi Maleki, Nathaniel Dede-Bamfo, Elizabeth Ekren, Milad Mohammadalizadehkorde, and Melinda Villagran

Neighborhood Child Friendliness: A Comparative Analysis of Parental Landscape Perceptions and Geographic Information Systems-Based Urban Planning Indexes

Authors: Shadi Maleki, Ronald R. Hagelman III, and Brendan L. Lavy

African American Experiences in the Historic Dunbar Neighborhood in San Marcos, Texas: A Case Study of Counter-Life Stories

Authors: Shetay Ashford-Hanserd, Eric Sarmiento, Colleen C. Myles, Steven W. Rayburn, Aimee Kendall Roundtree, Mary-Patricia Hayton, Edward Ybarra, Sarai Benitez, Theresa M. Clifford, Christopher Pierce, Chad D. Williams, and Shadi Maleki

A Visual Insight Into Tweeting Activity Before and During Natural Disasters: Case Study of Hurricane Harvey

Authors: Shadi Maleki and Milad Mohammadalizadehkorde

Investigating Children's Field Trip Experiences Through Sketch Maps

Authors: Shadi Maleki, Emily Warren, Ronald R. Hagelman III, Aspen Navarro, and Miranda Wait

Social Demand for Urban Wilderness in Purgatory

Authors: Shadi Maleki, Jason P. Julian, Russel C. Weaver, Christina Lopez, and Mike Kraft