Determining the suitable settlement areas in Alanya with GIS-based site selection analyses.

Urbanization, which is defined as an irreversible global-scale problem nowadays, necessitates the foundation of new settlement areas. In general, no sufficient scientific assessment and analysis were performed during these processes, and thus, various natural disasters cost the loss of many lives and properties every year. Nevertheless, considering the areas that are risky in terms of natural disasters during the selection of settlement areas might prevent a large-scale loss of lives and properties because of natural disasters. Within the scope of this study, it was aimed to determine suitable settlement areas in the Alanya district, which is one of the significant points of interest for tourists in our country and has a large population and new settlement areas because of this increasing population. Within this scope, besides the risks of flood and landslide that are the most important natural disasters in the region, and a forest fire that is among the most significant risks for the region, also the biocomfort zones were included in the assessments. As a result of the study, it was determined that the most important natural disaster risk was flooding in a large portion of the region and that only 6.72% of the study area was suitable for settlement in terms of all the criteria examined in the present study.

The geographic distribution of cases of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever: Kastamonu, Turkey.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of cases diagnosed with Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) with the help of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and to establish an epidemiological risk map. Data for 434 cases diagnosed with CCHF between 01.01.2004 and 31.12.2013 were subjected to statistical analysis SPSS 13.0 software. A digital map of Kastamonu was transferred onto ArcGIS 10.0 software in order to establish a risk map for CCHF. The highest cumulative incidence of CCHF is 41.29/10,000, and in people living at altitudes of 1001-1200 meters. ROC analysis of altitudes above sea level of residences with CCHF cases revealed an area under the curve of 74.5% (95% CI: 0.72-0.76, p<0.05). At a cut-off point of 836.5 meters, sensitivity was 0.74 and specificity 0.76. Cumulative incidence of CCHF was significantly positively correlated with number of animals per head (r=0.76) and area of agricultural land per head (r=0.59) (p<0.05). No significant correlation was determined between cumulative incidence and forested area percentages. This study reveals that both men and women living at more than 836.5 meters above sea level and working in agriculture and animal husbandry are at risk of CCHF between May and July. Detailed examination of the ecology of vector ticks is now needed in order to fully determine the epidemiology of the disease.