Mapping US County Health Indicators

(Note: This GIS analysis was completed in the second half of 2020 as part of a social applications of GIS course)

Q1. Why did you choose this measure for mapping?

I chose the percentage of children born with low birth weight in US counties. These are children with birth weight below 2500g. I chose this measure because birth weight impacts on an individual’s development throughout the course of life.

Q2. Which regions/states in the country show the most pronounced change?

Percentage of children born with low birth weight increased in more counties in Nevada. Mississippi and Alabama also experienced increases in percentage of children born with low birth weight in 2020 compared to 2010. Reductions in percentage of children born with low birth weight is more pronounced in South Carolina.

Which regions/states did not change?

The Pacific states (California, Oregon, and Washington) and Arizona have percentage birth weights that are relatively more stable between 2010 and 2020 — either a 1 percentage point below or above 2010 values.

Q3. Reasons for classifications used

Percentage low birth weight data for 2010 and 2020 was classified using manual classification. With other classification methods, both maps do not have the same categories and it was important for the categories in the 2010 and 2020 map to be the same for ease of comparison. The minimum value and maximum value of the data informed the decision to divide the data into 5 categories.

Difference in percentage low birth weight data between 2020 and 2010 was classified using the Natural Jenks method. The categories from the Natural Jenks method were clear.

Q4. Coordinate system used the for maps

The coordinate system used for Continental USA is the USA Contiguous Albers Equal Area Conic.

For Alaska — Alaska Albers Equal Area Conic and Hawaii — Hawaii Albers Equal Area Conic. These are the coordinate systems recommended for maps made for these areas and show the geographical area in meters/feet, not longitude and latitude.

Q5. How this map can be used?

The maps can be used to:

• Assess low birth weight in individual years and monitor changes between years
• Raise awareness and make a case for additional research or expenditure in counties/states/regions where percentage of children born with low birth weight is high

Note: If you have your data and shapefiles (or if they are readily available on the internet), please reach out to us for similar GIS data presentations at https://www.linkedin.com/company/d-dorcas/?viewAsMember=true