Editor's note: In The WellNest Watch, master's degree candidates in the public health program at EMU's School of Health Promotion and Human Performance explore news, research and standard practices in the field of health and wellness.
Kegan Tulloch is a graduate assistant in EMU's Office of Health Promotion.
Where you live shouldn’t determine how healthy you are, but in reality, it often does. Public health has a history of recognizing patterns in disease and access to care. Yet, many of the most important differences between communities remain hidden in statistics. That’s where Geographic Information Systems can make a real difference. By turning data into maps, GIS helps us see what’s happening and where it’s happening. Having that perspective can change everything.
Consider two neighborhoods that are a few miles apart. On the surface, they might look similar, but when you map things out, a different story can unfold. One neighborhood might have high rates of sexually transmitted infections and no nearby testing sites, while the other neighborhood has multiple clinics and lower STI rates. Without GIS, those gaps are easy to miss, and if we can’t see the gaps, it’s harder to address them
One of the biggest strengths of GIS is its ability to reveal inequities that often hide in plain sight. By layering data like income, race, transportation access and health outcomes, maps can highlight patterns that spreadsheets alone can’t. This matters because health disparities don’t happen randomly; they’re shaped by systems, environments and access. GIS helps connect the dots in a way that is hard to ignore. It also makes public health responses more practical. With limited resources, decisions about where to invest time, funding and services are not always straightforward. GIS can help pinpoint places where the need is high but access is low. For example, mapping STI rates alongside clinic locations might show entire areas without nearby testing or prevention services. That kind of insight can guide decisions about where to send mobile clinics, expand outreach or open new sites.
We’ve already witnessed how powerful this can be in moments of crisis. During the COVID-19 pandemic, maps became essential tools for tracking the spread of the virus, identifying hotspots and guiding vaccine distribution. This helped decision makers act quickly and, ideally, more equitably. That same approach can, and should, be applied beyond crises to everyday public health challenges.
GIS has the ability to involve communities more directly. Maps don’t have to be created only by researchers or institutions. Community members can contribute their own knowledge, highlighting barriers that data alone might miss. When that lived experience is included, public health strategies become more effective.
Of course, GIS isn’t perfect; there are limitations. Data gaps are still a problem, especially for marginalized communities that are often underrepresented in official datasets. Maps can be informative, but if used carelessly, they can also reinforce harmful narratives.
GIS offers clarity that public health needs. It allows us to see the full picture, not just averages or assumptions. And when we can see where the gaps are, we’re in a better position to fill them.
Contributors to The WellNest Watch health column are Kegan Tulloch, Ebrima Jobarteh and Ruby Wyles, graduate assistants in the Office of Health Promotions, and Shafaat Ali Choyon and Nathaniel King, graduate hall directors in the Department of Residential Life. All five are master's degree candidates in the Public Health Program from the School of Public Health Promotion and Human Performance at Eastern Michigan University.
