Application of GIS and SPSS for prostate cancer and health disparity detection in Texas

Abstract

This study uses a geographic information system to create and analyse choropleth maps determining the distribution of prostate cancer in Texas and uses statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) software to analyse social determinants of health that may explain prostate cancer mortality. The data, collected for period 1999-2009, was furnished by the Texas Health Rankings and VitalWeb. The dataset was for 1999-2004 and 2004-2009. It comprised age-adjusted data specific to the 2000 US Standard Population data, based on an age-distributed and -weighted methodology to create age adjustments for statistical purposes. The study found there was a statistically significant (P < 0.05) percentage of African Americans with age-adjusted prostate cancer mortality, but no statistically significant correlations were found in other races. The study indicates a number of ways medical communities and public health agencies can employ geographical information system (GIS) and SPSS to screen for and treat prostate cancer more effectively.