International Training on Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Spatial Analysis for Disease Outbreak Investigation

4-6 December 2017

The study of spatio-temporal distribution of cases of disease is one of the basis of epidemiology and ignoring the spatio-temporal dimension in disease investigations can lead to major biases and mistaken results. This course has provided the basis to understand the usefulness of Geographical Information Systems and spatio-temporal analyses to provide an increased precision to the qualitative and quantitative assessment of disease outbreaks, compare different populations/ settings through the use of quantitative and objective criteria and detect significant phenomenon that may be imperceptible otherwise.

Objectives of the workshop were to:

• visualize spatial data using open-source software
• understand and apply techniques for detection of spatial and spatio-temporal clusters and spatial autocorrelation
• review critically spatial analyses published in the peer-reviewed literature
• practice writing, reporting and communicating the results of a spatial analysis

The workshop was held on 4-6 December 2017 at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University. He had honors from Prof. P.C. Lai, Asst. Prof. Dr. Paulina P.Y. Wong and Dr. C.T. Low as instructors in this course. There were 38 participants from academic institutions and government agency from 6 countries in Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Taiwan) attended the workshop.