Practicing Health Geography: The African Context (Global Perspectives on Health Geography)

This volume uniquely presents case studies on health geography in Africa, and analyzes health practices in different African regions to illustrate a unified perspective to the geographies of health. The book describes various contemporary and traditional themes that have characterized the discipline of health geography, and uses its 13 case studies across 14 chapters to challenge the perceived dichotomy between health geography and medical geography among health researchers and practitioners. In 3 sections, the book provides readers with a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to understanding health geography in Africa. The first chapter introduces the major theories and perspectives in health geography, and how these characteristics apply to health geography practices in Africa. Section 1 discusses the different uses of space-based analyses in health geography, including geo-data infrastructures, geographies of disease burden, spatial epidemiology, spatially precise public health, and spatial access to health. Section 2 discusses the different uses of place-based analyses in health geography, including health representation, healthcare access, food allergies, and health determinants. Section 3 addresses how geography is incorporated into decision processes in Africa, and how policy planning shapes health-related interventions at the population and individual level. The case studies here discuss geo-enabling health records, health policy, public health planning, and mobile health geographies. Geography of Cases in the Book About the Book Contents Contributors About the Editor Chapter 1: Introducing Health Geography Health and Medical Geography Purpose and Overview of Book Chapter Summary References Part I: Health and Space Chapter 2: Generating Spatial Demographic Data for Health in Africa Introduction GIS Utilization and the Availability of Spatial Demographic Data in Africa GIS Utilization Within Africa Availability of Spatial Demographic Data The Evolution of Mapping Demographic Data and Current Approaches The Evolution of Mapping Demographic Data Current Approaches to Mapping Demographic Data Challenges in Spatial Data Production Applications in Producing Spatial Demographic Data Mapping Spatial Demographics Age and Gender Composition Estimating Live Births and Pregnancies Quantifying Human Mobility Future Directions and Recommendations References Chapter 3: Geography of Disease Burden: Case Studies in Namibia and Eritrea Introduction Disease Cartography from Routine Surveillance Systems Role of Surveillance for Geographies of Disease Introduction to Using PCD for Mapping Overcoming Barriers in Mapping Using HMIS Data The Geography of the Denominator for Burden Estimation Environmental Drivers of Geographical Risk Example of Mapping PCD from HMIS Discussion Routine Surveillance for Mapping Disease Burden Geographies of Disease Burden in Low-Transmission Settings Challenges and Opportunities for Cartography for Elimination Conclusion References Chapter 4: Geographically Precise Public Health: Case of Southern Mozambique Introduction Precision Public Health Geography and Precision Public Health Place Specific Factors Related to Maternal Health in Mozambique Data Collection Statistical Methods Results Discussion Conclusion References Chapter 5: Spatial Epidemiology of Urban Health Risks in Select West African Cities Introduction Complexity of Urban Health Challenges in West African Cities Spatial Epidemiology: From Concept to Application in Urban Health Case 1: Spatial Epidemiology of Malaria in Pikine-Guédiawaye, Korhogo and Kaédi Case 2: Spatial Epidemiology of Diarrhoea in Rufisque, Nouakchott and Mbour Potential of Spatial Epidemiology for Public Health Improvements in Urban Areas Conclusion References Chapter 6: Methods of Measuring Spatial Accessibility to Health Care in Uganda Introduction Geographic Accessibility Measuring Geographic Accessibility Provider-to-Population Ratio Euclidean Distance Gravity Models Kernel Density Method Network Analysis Cost Distance Analysis Spatial Access to Primary Health Care: A Case Study of Uganda Spatial Databases Health Facility List Accessibility Covariates Population Distribution Computation of Spatial Access Model Parametrization Accounting for the Effect of Rainfall Seasonality Computation of Travel Time Mapped Travel Time and Population Coverage Conclusion References Part II: Health and Place Chapter 7: Representing Health: An Afrocentric Perspective from Ghana Introduction Health: Definitions and Historical Perspectives Indigenous Concepts of Health (Africa) Case Studies Discussion Reconceptualizing, Reframing, and Representing Health References Chapter 8: Access to Maternal Health in Regions of Rwanda: A Qualitative Study Introducing Access to Health Care Access to Maternal Health care: The Context of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) Exploring Barriers and Facilitators to Community-Level Maternal Health Care Access in Rwanda Availability of Services Accommodation Accessibility Affordability Acceptability Discussion and Conclusion References Chapter 9: Using Participatory Photovoice Research to Understand Food Allergy Risk in Accra, Ghana Background Research Context Photovoice Research Method Method: Putting Photovoice into Practice Analysis Results Promoting Knowledge, Attitudes and Household Practice Changes Advocates for Social Change on the Visibility of Food Allergy Enhanced Understanding of Risk and Spaces of Exposure Strengthening Health Institutions and Personnel for Allergy Management Challenges Putting Photovoice into Practice Conclusion References Chapter 10: Determinants of Maternal Health in Regions of Southern Mozambique Introduction Social Determination of Health Political Ecology of Health Mapping Outcomes for Mothers [MOM]: A Case Example Study Description Context Findings Political Determinants Economic Determinants Sociocultural Determinants Environmental Determinants Discussion Conclusion References Part III: Geo-Enabling Health Decisions Chapter 11: Geo-enabled Trauma Registries: The Case of Cape Town, South Africa Introduction The Burden of Injury Trauma Registries: A Brief History The Many Functions of a Trauma Registry Injury Surveillance Spatial Analysis of Injuries Quality Improvement Benchmarking of Trauma Care Trauma Registries in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) Barriers to Trauma Registry Implementation in LMICs Innovative Strategies for Implementing Trauma Registries Developing a Trauma Registry in Cape Town, South Africa Injury in South Africa A Case Study of Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa Development of the Cape Town Trauma Registry Development of the Electronic Trauma Health Record (eTHR) Conclusion References Chapter 12: Geography of Alcohol Exposure: Policy and Programme Implications for Cape Town, South Africa Background Alcohol Use and Alcohol-Related Harms in South Africa Alcohol and Associated Disease Burden in Cape Town, South Africa Alcohol Policy in the Western Cape Province Modelling Exposure to Liquor Outlets: Cape Town, South Africa Mapping Location and Capacity of Liquor Outlets Defining Alcohol Outlet Exposure Modelling an Alcohol Outlet Exposure Index Results: Exposure to Alcohol Characteristics of Alcohol Outlets in Khayelitsha Alcohol Outlet Exposure of Areas in Khayelitsha Applications and Recommendations Policy and Programming Facilitators to Drive Evidence-Based Policy and Programming Conclusions References Chapter 13: Geography, Climate Change and Health Adaptation Planning in Uganda Background The Geography and Burden of Climate-Sensitive Diseases in Uganda Cholera Malaria Case Studies Climate Change and Health Vulnerability in Uganda Geography, Climate Change and Health Adaptation Planning Policy Frameworks and Climate Change Health Responses in Uganda Uganda’s Climate Change Planning Experiences Mainstreaming Climate Change in District Health Maps and Plans Geography and Climate Change Readiness Focused District Visits in Climate Change Disaster Prone Districts Climate Change and Health Research Conclusion References Chapter 14: Mobile Health Geographies: A Case from Zimbabwe Mobile Health Geographies Mobile Health (mHealth) Geographically Enabled mHealth Mobile Health Geographies: Case Studies Mapping Outcomes for Mothers (MOM) RoadMApp The Future of Geo-mHealth Conclusion References Index