High spatial resolution, contemporary data on human population distributions are a prerequisite for the accurate measurement of the impacts of population growth, for monitoring changes and for planning interventions in a global health research context
Professor Andrew Tatem's work is vital in global health contexts and includes case studies in maternal health and in mapping the vectors of infectious disease.
His WorldPop project aims to provide an open access archive of spatial demographic datasets for Central and South America, Africa and Asia to support development and health applications. The methods used are designed with full open access and operational application in mind, using transparent, fully documented and shareable methods to produce easily updatable maps with accompanying metadata.
Development indicators assessed at national scales can often conceal important inequities, with the rural poor often least well represented.
Current projects include a study of the potential of mobile phone call data records in improving measurement of access to maternal and newborn health services.