Geomedical Systems

Fierce controversy over contemporary health issues involving epidemics, degenerative illnesses and the distribution of health services has highlighted the value of medical geography in recent years. Epidemiologists, geographers, statisticians and health economists have recently produced a wealth of quantitative research on disease control and health-cost containment. The outcome is a substantial collection of modelling devices adapted to geomedical problems. Richard Thomas takes a systems approach to focus the recent research into three distinct geomedical systems: epidemic forecasting systems for infectious diseases; statistical systems for assessing non-infectious diseases and socioeconomic models relating to health-care delivery systems. Drawing on examples from around the world, particularly Britain and North America, the author presents a series of methods and models. The mechanics of each modelling system is set within a wide epidemiological and geographical context. Illustrated using numerical examples, each issue is presented through a detailed examination of the epidemiology of the disease, an analysis of an appropriate model structure and its substantive applications.