INTRODUCTION TO GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS (GIS)
African Centre of Excellence in Population Health & Policy Conference Room
Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria
JUNE 3 – 7, 2024
REGISTRATION LINK
Course Overview:
This five-day hands-on course is designed for physician scientists at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital/ Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria who are interested in learning GIS concepts, strategies, and design principles. Course participants will learn how to select and use GIS software, visualize health data, prepare and geocode health event data, design and implement mapping, and perform basic spatial analysis. Participants will also complete a hands-on mini GIS project to facilitate application of skills learned during the workshop.
Workshop Topics:
1. GIScience & Spatial Epidemiology
Class Topics: Class Introduction; GIS Overview, Added Value of GIS and Spatial Epidemiology; Type of GIS Software; Overview of QGIS software and its features.
Lab Activity #1: Installing QGIS
2a. Fundamentals of Spatial Data I
Topics: Data Representation and Structure; Map Scale & Projections, Map Types;
Lab Demo #1: Introduction to QGIS - Basic Interface of QGIS; Navigating the QGIS interface and loading data layers; Importing and managing different types of spatial data in QGIS
Lab Activity #2 – Visualizing Health Data
2b. Geospatial Data Acquisition and Manipulation
Topics: Preparing Health Event Data II; Geocoding Public Health Data, Area-Based Measures
Lab Activity #3 – Geocoding Health Event Data
3. Fundamentals of Spatial Data II
Topics: Map Scale & Projections, Map Types II, Advanced data visualization techniques (e.g., thematic mapping, label placement)
Lab Demo #2: Introduction to QGIS – Thematic Mapping
Lab Activity #4 – Mapping and Map Design
4. Geospatial Data Analysis & Modeling I
Topics: Introduction to spatial analysis concepts and methods; Performing basic spatial analylsis tasks (e.g., buffer analysis, spatial joins) in QGIS; Descriptive Spatial Statistics; Geoprocessing; Measuring Geographic Distribution
Lab Activity #5- Geospatial Data Analysis: Descriptive Spatial Statistics
5. Practical Applications and Project Work