Utilizing Geographic Information Systems in community assessment and nursing research.

Application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in health sciences is relatively new, but it appears to be expanding faster than any other areas of GIS application. Although health scientists have long been using geographic information conceptually, the current availability of user-friendly GIS tools has caused a rapid endorsement of GIS in community health research. Locations of disease incidence, surrounding environments, health care facilities, geographic boundaries of the communities, and other essential community infrastructures have always been essential components of epidemiological and health care studies.