1. What are possible reasons locations in epidemiological research have not been incorporated as much as other components in epidemiological research? How can spatial epidemiology be considered as an interdisciplinary science?
Data availability and quality are barriers in epidemiological research. Assessment of data, especially in cancer registries, should take place. If it is inaccurate or missing any cases, it can lead to misleading or invalid estimates of risk. Such assessments should be conducted routinely. Residential history should be updated to accurately represent the location of the case. Data quality should include accuracy, representativeness, and validity. Also, a smaller population size can lead to errors. Similarly, small geographic areas can introduce confounding factors that may create false associations. Confidentiality is another issue, as some countries grant individuals rights over their personal data and require consent for its use. This can pose challenges to research.
Spatial epidemiology can be applied as an interdisciplinary science. Together with GIS technology, they offer efficient and cost-effective solutions for geography-based applications. These applications vary across many subjects, providing associations between diseases and factors of interest, as well as identifying clusters statistically
2. Explain why it is widely recognized that the place where an individual lives or works should be considered as a potential disease determinant and give some examples?
The environment where people grow up, live, and work is one of the determinants of health. Place can influence the health outcomes of a person. Geographic correlation analysis studies the geographic variation in exposure to environmental variables. For example, where you live can influence respiratory diseases if the place you live is exposed to heavy pollution of PM2.5 or frequent car exhaust emissions without preventive measures. Even if where you live has natural physical factors such as contaminated water or soil, it can influence your health in various ways.