Conclusion

Spatial analysis for epidemiology is a rich and varied field, with, as this article shows, numerous methods and techniques. However, these tools are sometimes difficult to use, as there are many comments and restrictions to take into account:

• data quality must always be questioned;

• beware of the loss of information due to aggregation and scale transfers;

• analyses are often too simple and do not reflect the complexity of reality (distance and connectivity calculations, natural barriers, etc.);

• Methods must exclude the organization of space if this is not part of the problem at hand;

• it is often necessary to separate relations with the environment from relations between individuals, in order to ensure the independence...