Geographic Information Technologies in Epidemiology – An Up-to-Date Research Direction of Academician I.N. Blokhina Nizhny Novgorod Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology

Introduction: Studying the possibility of using geoinformation technologies to analyze the epidemiological situa­ tion in the Volga Federal District (VFD) dates back to early 2000s. The experience of creating and maintaining the electronic epidemiological atlas of the Volga Federal District confirmed the relevance of this research direction for ensuring sanitary and epidemiological wellbeing of the population and showed the importance of its results for activities of healthcare and Rospotrebnadzor institutions. The purpose of our work was to consider the main stages of formation and development of geoinformation technologies in epidemiological surveillance of infectious diseases as a research direction of Academician I.N. Blokhina Nizhny Novgorod Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology. Materials: The article de­ scribes the development of medical geography and gives characteristics of classical scientific schools and some of their results. It presents main results of research work carried out within the framework of the Rospotrebnadzor Sectoral Re­ search Program for 2016–2020 as well as methodology and main stages of development of the geographically distributed geoinformation software complex “Electronic Epidemiological Atlas of the Russian Federation” (GIS “Epidemiological Atlas of Russia”) and its structure. Conclusions: Geographic information systems in epidemiological surveillance as an up­to­date scientific direction of research activities of the Institute enabled implementation of the geoinformation project “Epidemiolog­ ical Atlas of the Volga Federal District”, the development of which began in 2000–2005 by specialists of the Institute and JSC Upper Volga Air Geodetic Enterprise, and development of GIS “Epidemiological Atlas of Russia”.

1. Pobedinsky GG, Sarskov SA. Medical geography. Modern state and directions of development. In: Proceedings of the Scientific Congress of the International Scientific and Industrial Forum “Great Rivers ‘2019”, Nizhny Novgorod, May 14-17, 2019. Nizhny Novgorod: NNGASU Publ., 2019;1:272–281. (In Russian).

2. Chistobaev AI, Semenova ZA. [Medico-geographical scientific schools in the USSR and post-Soviet countries.] Geografiya i Prirodnye Resursy. 2012;(2):155–160. (In Russian).

3. Ershov VI, Efimov EI, Pobedinsky GG. Experience of GIS development and management “Electronic Epidemiological Atlas of the Volga Federal District”. Zdorov’e Naseleniya i Sreda Obitaniya. 2019;(8(317)):11– 19. (In Russian). doi: 10.35627/2219-5238/2019-317- 8-11-19

4. Efimov EI, Pobedinsky GG. Experience in developing GIS “Electronic Epidemiological Atlas”. In: Geodesy, Geoinformatics, Cartography, Surveying: Proceedings of the National Scientific Conference with international participation; Interexpo GEO-Siberia: XVI International Scientific Congress, Novosibirsk, June 18 – July 8, 2020. Novosibirsk: SGUGiT Publ., 2020;1(2):3–18. (In Russian). doi: 10.33764/2618-981X-2020-1-2-3-18

5. Pobedinsky GG, Kornilova LV, Shkidina TI, Pulyaevs- kii VA. [The concept of GIS - governmental body of the Volga Federal District.] In: Proceedings of the International Scientific and Industrial Forum “Great Rivers ‘2005”. Nizhny Novgorod: NNGASU Publ., 2005;1:344–346. (In Russian).

6. Efimov EI, Petrov EYu, Kazanskaya GM, Ryabikova TF, Goncharuk My, Razgulin SA. [Epidemiological situation in the Volga Federal District in 2001.] Remedium Privolzh’e. 2002; (7-8):27–29. (In Russian).

7. Efimov EI, Nikitin PN, Yershov VI. [Electronic Epidemiological Atlas of the Volga Federal District. Experience of creation. Prospects of use in anti- epidemic practice.] In: Geographic Information Systems in Health Care of the Russian Federation: Data, Analytics, Solutions: Proceedings of the First and Second All-Russian Conferences with international participation, St. Petersburg, May 24-25, 2012. Krasilnikov IA, ed. Moscow: Beresta Publ., 2013:120–122. (In Russian).

8. Efimov EI, Erukov SV, Ershov VI. [Methodological foundations of the development and functioning of a geographic information system for monitoring of the epidemiological situation.] In: Scientific Provision of Anti-Epidemic Protection of the Population: Proceedings of the Anniversary All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference. Nizhny Novgorod: Academician I.N. Blokhina Nizhny Novgorod Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology Publ., 2009:72–73. (In Russian).

9. Zaitseva NN, Efimov EI, Solntsev LA, Ershov VI. Electronic atlas in epidemiological surveillance over HIV-infection. Meditsinskiy Al’manakh. 2014;(4(34)):63–67. (In Russian).

10. Solntsev LA, Filatova EN. [Electronic system of storage, presentation, and analysis of epidemiological information on the level of a federal district.] In: Proceedings of the VIII All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference of Young Scientists and Specialists of Rospotrbenadzor, Moscow, November 1–3, 2016. Popova AYu, ed. Moscow: Grifon Publ., 2016:201–203. (In Russian).

11. Bolotin EI, Ananyev VYu, Fedorova SYu. Infectious diseases: some theoretical and practical generalization. Zdorov’e Naseleniya i Sreda Obitaniya. 2011;(1(214)):27– 30. (In Russian).

12. Makarova IL. [Analysis of methods for determining the weight coefficients in the integral indicator of public health.] Simvol Nauki. 2015;(7):87–94. (In Russian).

13. Savilov ED, Alekseeva GI, Maltseva MV, Astaf’ev VA, Kravchenko AF, Burtseva EI. The estimation of epidemiological situation by the generalized criterion. Yakutskiy Meditsinskiy Zhurnal. 2011;(4):58–59. (In Russian).

14. Sarskov SA. [Quantitative criteria of assessing the epidemiological situation of the territory.] In: Fundamental and Applied Aspects of Population Health Risk Analysis: Proceedings of the All-Russian Scientific and Practical Internet Conference of Young Scientists and Specialists of Rospotrebnadzor with international participation, Perm, October 7–11, 2019. Perm: Perm. nats. issled. politekhn. un-t Publ., 2019:95–103. (In Russian).

15. Mandrugin VV. Psychological aspects of interface in web-GIS designing. Interexpo Geo–Sibir’. 2012;1(1- 2):62–65. (In Russian).

16. Martynenko AI, Pobedinsky GG, Bazina MA. [Principles of creating a GIS end-user interface.] In: 220 Years of Geodesic Education in Russia: Proceedings of the International Scientific and Technical Conference. Moscow, MIIGAiK Publ., 1999:210. (In Russian).

17. Shmelev AG. [Multicriteria evaluation of user interfaces of portal projects.] In: Internet Portals: Contents and Technologies: Collection of Articles of GNII ITT “Informika”. Moscow: Prosveshchenie Publ., 2004;2:346–361. (In Russian).

18. Shevin AV. Geoportals as basic elements of spatial data infrastructure: Analysis of the current state of the issue in Russia. Vestnik SGUGiT. 2016;(3(35)):102–110. (In Russian).

19. Kitaeva LS. [Criteria for evaluating interfaces for designing web-GIS for medical and epidemiological purposes.] In: Fundamental and Applied Aspects of Population Health Risk Analysis: Proceedings of the All-Russian Scientific and Practical Internet Conference of Young Scientists and Specialists of Rospotrebnadzor with international participation, Perm, October 5–9, 2020. Perm: Perm. nats. issled. politekhn. un-t Publ., 2020:407–415. (In Russian).

20. Pobedinsky GG, Sarskov SA, Vyushkov MV. [Prototype of the section of the epidemiological atlas “Monitoring of COVID–19 incidence”.] In: Fundamental and Applied Aspects of Population Health Risk Analysis: Proceedings of the All-Russian Scientific and Practical Internet Conference of Young Scientists and Specialists of Rospotrebnadzor with international participation, Perm, October 5-9, 2020. Perm: Perm. nats. issled. politekhn. un-t Publ., 2020:394–402. (In Russian).

21. Efimov EI, Pobedinsky GG, Vyushkov MV, Sarskov SA. Structure of GIS databases “Epidemiological Atlas of Russia”. In: Proceedings of the Scientific Congress of the 22nd International Scientific and Industrial Forum “Great Rivers ‘2020”, Nizhny Novgorod, May 27-29, 2020. Lapshin AA, ed. Nizhny Novgorod: NNGASU Publ., 2020:258–263. (In Russian).