Exploring the Application of Geographic Information System in Health Organizations Working on HIV/AIDS Prevention Programs in Ethiopia.
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2010-06
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Abeba University
Abstract
Background: Understanding issues ranging from medical epidemiology to
healthcare access requires a comprehensive understanding of their
geography. In health organizations, GIS provides powerful tools for geographic
and spatial analysis, and it allows visualizing data that may have gone
unnoticed in spreadsheets, charts, and other reports. Despite the availability
of a number of functionalities of GIS technologies with convenient cost, their
applications to the health sector in preventing HIV/AIDS is not explored.
Objectives: To assess the extent of GIS applications and identify barriers to
its adoption, diffusion and utilization in HIV/AIDS prevention programs.
Methods: Organization based survey was carried out in Addis Ababa
between March and May; 2010.The study participants are organizations
working on HIV/AIDS programs at national level. The study employed
quantitative and qualitative methods. The data are entered, cleaned and
analyzed using SPSS version15 statistical software.
Result- Current GIS use among organizations working on HIV/AIDS
prevention programs, 18(26.9%) are using GIS technology for program
planning and management. Lack of GIS awareness (42.9%), GIS skill (18.4%)and clear GIS strategy (16.3%) are major barriers to the adoption and
utilization of GIS among organizations included in the study. Lack of GIS skill
(OR=0.07, 95 % CI (0.01, 0.71)) and awareness on GIS use (OR= 0.15, 95% CI
(0.04, 0.48)) found to have associations with the current use of GIS in an
organization.
Conclusion- The study discovers that the uptake of GIS technology in the
HIV/AIDS prevention programs is very low. The main reasons identified are
Lack of GIS awareness, skill, strategy and poor data sharing experience
among organizations. To improve the adoption and use of GIS in the health
sector, I recommend organizations to create GIS awareness, develop GIS skill
and enhance data sharing with and within the health sector, and investigate
further the adoption and use of GIS technology in the health sector in general.
Description
Keywords
Geographic Information System,Health Organizations,HIV/AIDS