Applicability of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Tracking COVID-19: A Systematic Review

This article aimed to assess, through a systematic review, the applicability of geographic information systems (GIS) as an alert tool for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The methods followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. A total of 25 articles published between 2020 and 2024 were included in the review. Portfolio analysis and meta-syntheses were performed to answer specific guiding questions. It was possible to identify the main methods used for mapping COVID-19 cases and assess associations with demographic, socioeconomic, environmental, and urban mobility data, namely spatiotemporal analysis and geostatistical modeling. Spatiotemporal analysis was widely used to understand the spatial dynamics and impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), particularly in the first months of the pandemic. GIS has proven to be a valuable tool for collecting, analyzing, and sharing real-time data and assisting health authorities in identifying priority clusters. The main limitation pointed out by the studies was the lack of standardization of COVID-19 case data. It should be noted that spatial models that require training may underestimate correlations between variables as compared with more robust techniques, such as Markov chain and autoregressive geostatistical models. It was possible to conclude that no one method is equally suitable for all analyses and that the choice of an adequate model is crucial to achieve good results.