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

Authors: Jose Huerta; Gayle Prybutok; Victor R. Prybutok

Addresses: College of Business, Management Program, The University of Texas, Permian Basin, USA ' Department of Rehabilitation and Health Services, College of Health and Public Service, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #311456, Denton, TX, 76203, USA ' Department of Information Technology and Decision Sciences, G. Brint Ryan College of Business and Toulouse Graduate School, University of North Texas, 1800 Chestnut St., Suite 103, Denton, TX 76201, USA

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.

Keywords: GIS; geographical information system; prostate cancer; social determinants of health; spatial patterns; SPSS; statistical package for the social sciences; choropleth maps; geographic information systems.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHTM.2023.134423

International Journal of Healthcare Technology and Management, 2023 Vol.20 No.4, pp.287 - 325

Received: 03 Dec 2019
Accepted: 09 Nov 2020
Published online: 23 Oct 2023 *

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