J Pak Med Assoc. 2025 Nov;75(11):1785-1789. doi: 10.47391/JPMA.23297.
ABSTRACT
Understanding the spatial dimension of place, alongside time and personal characteristics, is essential in epidemiology. The current narrative review was planned to analyse articles from all three Medline-indexed general medical journals in Pakistan that reported on the use of Geographic Information System or the Global Positioning System. From 2011 till October 2024, a total of 20 studies were published; 18(90%) of them in the Journal of Pakistan Medical Association, including the first article in July 2011. Most studies focussed on health risk assessment 12(60%), while 3(15%) examined health disparities and 2(10%) analysed spatial distribution and hospital accessibility. Geographic Information Systems facilitate spatial visualisation and analysis of health data, enabling a more nuanced understanding of disease patterns, hotspots and trends. This spatial intelligence is important for Pakistan, where geographical diversity, population density and socioeconomic disparities create complex health challenges.
PMID:41418122 | DOI:10.47391/JPMA.23297
