Thirty years of use and improvement of remote sensing, applied to epidemiology: from early promises to lasting frustration

Abstract

Remote sensing, referring to the remote study of objects, was originally developed for Earth observation, through the use of sensors on board planes or satellites. Improvements in the use and accessibility of multi-temporal satellite-derived environmental data have, for 30 years, contributed to a growing use in epidemiology. Despite the potential of remote-sensed images and processing techniques for a better knowledge of disease dynamics, an exhaustive analysis of the bibliography shows a generalized use of pre-processed spatial data and low-cost images, resulting in a limited adaptability when addressing biological questions.