Using GIS to improve public health emergency response in rural areas during the COVID-19 crisis: A case study of South Carolina, US

Abstract

Geographic information systems (GIS) have become essential tools in the public health domain, especially when it comes to monitoring and surveillance of disease. The purpose of this article is to describe and explore the benefits of using GIS to improve public health emergency response during a global pandemic and, in particular, how to effectively optimize the allocation of public health resources in a rural setting using a data-driven approach that considers the multifactorial demand for new COVID-19 testing sites. Herein, the authors present their interprofessional project as an example of such efforts to inform applications for practice. The team developed a GIS-based multicriteria decision analysis model for use by decision-makers and public health experts in similar future planning and response scenarios. Focus is placed on rural characteristics (e.g., accessibility), vulnerable populations, and daily changing conditions (e.g., COVID-19 daily case fluctuations) that create additional challenges for public health agencies and policymakers.