Date of Award
5-2017
Degree Type
Practitioner Report
Degree Name
Master of Science in GIS for Development and Environment (GISDE)
Department
International Development, Community and Environment
Chief Instructor
Yelena Ogneva-Himmelberger
Keywords
tobacco, smoking, schools, public health
Abstract
Performed as part of an internship with the Worcester Division of Public Health in the summer of 2016, this spatial analysis examines the proximity of tobacco retailers to the city’s public schools and finds that those in low-income neighborhoods tend to have greater numbers of tobacco sales outlets in the immediate area than do schools in more-affluent neighborhoods. The analysis also finds that the racial composition of student bodies at individual schools is moderately correlated with the number of tobacco points of purchase located near those schools. Because proximity to tobacco sales outlets is known to be a factor in smoking rates both in adults and children, these findings raise public health and social justice concerns about the spatial distribution of tobacco sales in Worcester. This paper also covers my analysis of tobacco sales law violations data and a market suitability evaluation I performed for the WDPH.
Recommended Citation
Caywood, Thomas M., "Public Health Applications of GIS: A Spatial Analysis of Tobacco Sales and Violations for the Worcester Division of Public Health" (2017). International Development, Community and Environment (IDCE). 165.
https://commons.clarku.edu/idce_masters_papers/165
Worcester
Yes