With Geographic Information System (GIS), descriptive information collected in multiple layers is provided to prepare a map of spatial information. The ability to collect and analyze large amounts of information and to investigate the relationship between geographic (spatial) and other data (composition of layers) is one of the benefits of this methodology.

It is possible to point out the differences and spatial correlations in urban development and consider the risk factors related to the health of citizens in cities and investigate hospital care, risk assessment and public health, as well as public health measures.This model is necessary to understand the different health and health outcomes from one location to another. It can help us understand the spatial health of the population, the distribution of disease in a region, and the impact of the environment on health and disease. It also examines access to health care and spatial distribution of care providers. Differences in the coverage of health services can occur at different geographical levels (such as blocks, neighborhoods, municipalities). Therefore, predicting local health care needs with geographic analyzes can help policymakers to effectively engage in health care provision.Spatial analysis is critical to assessing the needs of local healthcare at the local level, which can be crucial in prioritizing areas that are more exposed to disease risk factors and require more care in the future.This method, an appropriate tool for detecting and visualizing geographic health inequalities in a comprehensible form for policy makers, can be due to the increased attention of the authorities to the adoption of urban development plans with a health approach.   Such an analysis to understand the role of some of the variables of habitat such as air pollution, access to green space, the proximity of unhealthy food stores and the supply of tobacco products can ultimately affect the health of individuals if they are located in these geographic locations.

 Objectives:

1) To understand spatial distribution of common risk factors for Non-Communicable Diseases (smoking, high blood lipids, obesity and overweight, diabetes, high blood pressure, low activity, anxiety / stress, low consumption of fruits and vegetables (unhealthy diet) in Yazd Greater Area (Urban/Rural and Municipalities) 

2) To identify high risk individual for non-communicable diseases to plan for health interventions according to the more common risk factor in each region.

3) To identify prevalent risk factors of Non-Communicable Diseases in each area for use in the placement of health service providers and the distribution of human resources proportional to the prevalent risk factor in each neighborhood. 

4) Draw basic maps for communicating the common risk factors for noninvasive diseases with other non-communicable diseases.

5) To analyze Geographic-spatial relationship between urban spaces (industries, sports venues, parks, etc.) with non-neglected diseases and their risk factors

Potential benefits:1) A brief description of the state of cardiovascular disease (as the first cause of mortality) and its risk factors in different area of Yazd.2) Identify the relationship between risk factors for Non-Communicable Diseases and socioeconomic and demographic factors.3) By spatial descriptive analysis of risk factors for diseases in the distribution and type of services provided by comprehensive health centers in each region, and in providing the services needed in each region; Pay attention to the economic and social factors as well as the frequency of risk factors in each region to provide services in each region.4) Basic data for the study of the incidence of noninvasive diseases and its risk factors in different regions of the city and its relation with possible changes in the environment5) Use in the design of urban projects (roads, commissioning of industrial units, development of green spaces or licensing of exploitation for occupations and ...) 

Atlas of Health in Yazd (book)

     Epidemiologic transition of diseases, population aging, urbanization and lifestyle changes combined with increased exposure to people with environmental risk factors, many health problems are somehow tied to their place of residence. Each of these problems, in accordance with socioeconomic factors, the beliefs and behaviors of the people and the type of exposure to disease risk factors, requires special intervention in the area because many diseases are due to the lifestyle of a group of people who live in a specific geographical area.

     Published health reports have been predominantly at national level and have sometimes described the disease pattern at provincial level. However, in the "Atlas of the health of Yazd", socioeconomic factors related to health and peoples lifestyle in the five municipalities of Yazd, neighboring small cities and villages in Yazd Greater Area and the differences between them are considered.  Local health administrators and policymakers can use these evidences to provide local-level planning with a fair distribution of resources, presented in this atlas.