Geographic analysis of low birthweight and infant mortality in Michigan using automated zoning methodology

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Infant mortality is a major public health problem in the State of Michigan and the United States. The primary adverse reproductive outcome underlying infant mortality is low birthweight. Visualizing and exploring the spatial patterns of low birthweight and infant mortality rates and standardized incidence and mortality ratios is important for generating mechanistic hypotheses, targeting high-risk neighborhoods for monitoring and implementing maternal and child health intervention and prevention programs and evaluating the need for health care services. This study investigates the spatial patterns of low birthweight and infant mortality in the State of Michigan using automated zone matching (AZM) methodology and minimum case and population threshold recommendations provided by the National Center for Health Statistics and the US Census Bureau to calculate stable rates and standardized incidence and mortality ratios at the Zip Code (n = 896) level. The results from this analysis are validated using SaTScan. Vital statistics birth (n = 370,587) and linked infant death (n = 2,972) records obtained from the Michigan Department of Community Health and aggregated for the years 2004 to 2006 are utilized.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>For a majority of Zip Codes the relative standard errors (RSEs) of rates calculated prior to AZM were greater than 20%. Spurious results were the result of too few case and birth counts. Applying AZM with a target population of 25 cases and minimum threshold of 20 cases resulted in the reconstruction of zones with at least 50 births and RSEs of rates 20–22% and below respectively, demonstrating the stability reliability of these new estimates. Other AZM parameters included homogeneity constraints on maternal race and maximum shape compactness of zones to minimize potential confounding. AZM identified areas with elevated low birthweight and infant mortality rates and standardized incidence and mortality ratios. Most but not all of these areas were also detected by SaTScan.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Understanding the spatial patterns of low birthweight and infant deaths in Michigan was an important first step in conducting a geographic evaluation of the State's reported high infant mortality rates. AZM proved to be a useful tool for visualizing and exploring the spatial patterns of low birthweight and infant deaths for public health surveillance. Future research should also consider AZM as a tool for health services research.</p

Mapping the physiography of Michigan with GIS

Abstract: We present a new physiographic map of Michigan, that is also available interactively, online. Only four, small-scale physiographic maps of Michigan had been previously published. Our mapping project made use of a wide variety of spatial data, in a GIS environment, to visualize and delineate the physical landscape in more detail than has been done previously. We also examined many of the unit boundaries in the field, using a GIS running on a GPS-enabled laptop. Unlike previous physiographic maps, the online version of the map enables users to query the criteria used to define each of the 224 boundaries of its 10 major and 91 minor physiographic units. The interactive nature of the online version of the map is a unique enhancement to physiographic maps and mapping. Our study also provides data on the number and types of criteria used to define each of the 224 unit boundaries within the map. Most of our unit boundaries are based on data derived from 10-m raster elevation data and NRCS soils data, e.g., relief, soil wetness, escarpments, landscape fabric, and parent material characteristics. Data gleaned from NRCS SSURGO county-scale soil maps were a strength of the project

Assessing the Ecological Need for Prescribed Fire in Michigan Using GIS-Based Multicriteria Decision Analysis: Igniting Fire Gaps

In fire-suppressed landscapes, managers make difficult decisions about devoting limited resources for prescribed fire. Using GIS-based multicriteria decision analysis, we developed a model assessing ecological need for prescribed fire on Michigan’s state-owned lands, ranging from fire-dependent prairies, savannas, barrens, and oak and pine forests to fire-intolerant mesic forests, and including a diversity of wetlands. The model integrates fine-scale field-collected and broad-scale GIS data to identify where prescribed fire needs are greatest. We describe the model’s development and architecture, present results at multiple scales, introduce the concepts of “fire gaps” and “fire sink”, and rate the fire needs of more than 1.8 million hectares into one of six fire needs classes. Statewide, fire needs increase with decreasing latitude. The highest and lowest needs occur in southwestern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, respectively, but actual fire application rates for these regions are inverted. The model suggests burn rates should be increased 2.2 to 13.4 times to burn all lands with greater than high fire needs. The model identifies regional patterns; highlights specific sites; and illustrates the disparity of fire needs and fire application. The modeling framework is broadly applicable to other geographies and efforts to prioritize stewardship of biodiversity at multiple scales

Appendix A. A list of the names of the community types used in the selection of occurrences of highly ranked communities in Michigan, USA.

A list of the names of the community types used in the selection of occurrences of highly ranked communities in Michigan, USA

Appendix C. A map of Michigan's land cover ca. 1800.

A map of Michigan's land cover ca. 1800

Appendix B. A table of land and vegetation cover types used in creating geographic information system data layers of Michigan's land cover ca. 1800 and a coverage of unchanged vegetation.

A table of land and vegetation cover types used in creating geographic information system data layers of Michigan's land cover ca. 1800 and a coverage of unchanged vegetation

Supplement 1. Two geographic information system data layers showing Michigan's land cover ca. 1800 and unchanged land cover ca. 1980.

<h2>File List</h2><blockquote> <p><a href="supplement1.zip">supplement1.zip</a></p> <p> </p> </blockquote><h2>Description</h2><blockquote> <p>Supplement1.zip is the compressed archival file containing two GIS data sets, lu1800.e00 and unch_veg.e00. </p> <p> lu1800 is the land cover of Michigan as interpreted from the survey notes of the Government Land Office (GLO) surveys of the 1800s. Data format is an ESRI polygon coverage in interchange format. Geographic projection is Michigan Georef, NAD 83, meters. </p> <p> unch_veg.e00 is the current Michigan vegetation that is of a similar vegetation type as present in the same location during the GLO surveys of the 1800s. Data type is an ESRI polygon coverage in interchange format. Geographic projection is Michigan Georef, NAD 83, meters.</p> </blockquote

Appendix E. A table showing the results of two correlation analyses of conservation value across 1900 Michigan townships, determined using the species richness and species occurrences in five groups of potential indicators.

A table showing the results of two correlation analyses of conservation value across 1900 Michigan townships, determined using the species richness and species occurrences in five groups of potential indicators

Appendix F. A table of results from a principal-components analysis of the number of occurrences of potential indicator species in 924 townships in Michigan.

A table of results from a principal-components analysis of the number of occurrences of potential indicator species in 924 townships in Michigan

Appendix D. A map of Michigan's unchanged land cover ca. 1800.

A map of Michigan's unchanged land cover ca. 1800