Volunteered Geographic Information for Qualitative

Spatial Research with a focus on Health and Place

A Dissertation Proposal

Bill Buckingham

• How do we constructively capture, consume, visualize and analyze location based qualitative data? – Can it result in something useful? – How so? – Is it extensible? Can it be specific (e.g. health)?– Can it contribute to mixed-methods research?

Why does this research matter?

• Existing Geovisual applications are poorly equipped to support place based qualitative data

• No framework currently in place to handle qualitative spatial data

• Develops methods to interface with hard to reach populations

• Within native environment• In their own words

• Near real time surveillance• Allows dissenting voices to be captured• The system stays in the community after the research is

completed.

PPGIS & VGI

• Access Data• Neg: Political• Process & Outcomes

• Create Data• Neg: Frivolous• Applications &

InformationDifferences are not always clear!

Definite Overlap, but not clear how much!

Why VGI?

• Less GIS – More Location• Not Explicitly Group Based – Individual• New voice for the local (Goodchild 07)• New avenue for PH surveillance• Encapsulates Social Media

VGI Issues

• Access!• Credibility• Privacy

Soure: Tulloch PPGIS 2003

Location Codes

Soure: Tulloch PPGIS 2003

Soure: Tulloch PPGIS 2003