Staff Profile

Dr Chris E. Dunn

Senior Lecturer in the Department of Geography

Telephone: +44 (0) 191 33 41891

Fax: +44 (0)191 33 41801

Room number: S103

Contact (email at c.e.dunn@durham.ac.uk)

Biography

Geography of health
This research interest is centred around two core themes: the geographical analysis of health-related data, and risk perceptions and health. In the former, special emphasis is given to the use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for analysing spatial patterns of human disease. Specifically, this interest is centred on spatial and environmental epidemiology, notably in disentangling the relationships between air quality, social deprivation, and respiratory morbidity and mortality in a UK context. The work on health and risk, which is set in the context of health-environment relationships in urban areas, uses qualitative methodologies to explore public perceptions of risks. In particular, interests are focussed around the roles of place, social class and health status in influencing views about risks to health from poor air quality. Empirical results serve to challenge current theoretical notions that risk perceptions are becoming increasingly 'globalised'.

GIS in the Global South
This research examines the appropriate use and application of Geographical Information Systems in lower-income countries. The work explores, as its key focus, the potential for interfacing what has traditionally been regarded as a 'top down' information technology with participatory approaches to 'development' in poorer countries. This research is both conceptual and empirical and draws on my field experience of GIS implementation in several countries: Tanzania, Nigeria, Ghana, Brazil, Mexico, Bangladesh, South Korea, Jordan and Oman.

Recent Grants

National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIH/NIEHS), USA: $317,176
‘Participatory natural resource management to mitigate health inequities in Africa’, awarded for two years (2007-2009) with a focus on the impacts of human conflicts over natural resources on health-related behaviour with specific reference to malaria.

ESRC Research Seminars Competition: £14,972
Co-applicant on ‘Time-Space and Life-Course’ (October 2007- September 2009) with Dr Helen Jarvis and Dr Seraphim Alvanides, School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University; Prof Colin Pooley, Department of Geography and Prof Elizabeth Shove, Department of Sociology, Lancaster University; and Dr Rachel Pain, Department of Geography, Durham University

Wolfson Development Fellowship: £6800
Exploring potential interfaces between scientific and social scientific approaches to understanding aspects of health and environment, with special reference to malaria in Africa (2004).

Northern and Yorkshire Public Health Observatory: £34,566.
Scoping study on environmental hazards and health awarded for six months (July 2001 - December 2001) with Dr Tanja Pless-Mulloli; Department of Epidemiology and Public Health; University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Dr Tricia McKinney; Department of Epidemiology and Health Services Research; University of Leeds and Professor Peter Blain; Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine; University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Department of Health / Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions / Environment Agency: £123,890.
Joint Research Programme on the Possible Health Effects of Landfill Sites for a study of 'The geographical variation in overall rates of congenital abnormalities and the rates of specific abnormalities' awarded for two years (June 2000 - May 2002) with Dr Judith Rankin; Department of Epidemiology and Public Health; Medical School; University of Newcastle upon Tyne; Martine Vrijheid; Environmental Epidemiology Unit; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine; Helen Dolk; University of Ulster and others.

Department of Health, Department of Environment and Medical Research Council Research Initiative on Research into the Effects of Air Pollutants on Health for a study 'Public awareness of air quality and respiratory health: assessing the impact of health advice'. £171,514 over 3 years (October 1996 - September 1999) with Dr Suzanne Moffatt, Medical School, University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Northern and Yorkshire Regional Health Authority (now the NHS Executive: Northern and Yorkshire) Small Grants for Research and Development for a study 'Analysing public health datasets: comparing the potential of a Geographical Information Systems (GIS) approach, spatial point process techniques and traditional epidemiological methods'. £49,848 over 21 months (November 1995 - July 1997) with Professor R.S. Bhopal, Medical School, University of Newcastle.

Research Groups

Geographies of Health and Wellbeing (GoHWell)

Research Interests

Geographical Information Systems
Geography of Health

Indicators of Esteem

2009: Royal Geographical Society Award: Cuthbert Peek Award for development and application of participatory GIS
2008: Royal Geographical Society: Dr Dunn is currently serving a three-year term as Chair of the Geography of Health Research Group, Royal Geographical Society (with the IBG), 2007-2010

Selected Publications

Books: sections

Dunn, C.E. Illustrating the report. In: Flowerdew, R. & Martin, D. Methods in Human Geography. Harlow, Essex: Pearson; 2005.
Dunn, C. E. & Williams, C. Integrating local knowledge and GIS: Landmine threat assessment in Bosnia and north-west Cambodia. In: Kinder, D. B. & Higgs, G. GIS Research in the UK. 2001:44-47.
Dunn, C.E. & Kingham, S.P. Modelling air quality and the effects on health in a GIS framework. In: Parker, D. Innovations in GIS 3. Taylor & Francis; 1996:205-213.

Journal papers: academic

Dunn. C.E., Crowley, P., Bush, J., Pless-Mulloli, T. & McKinney, P.A. Expertise and scientific uncertainty: understanding trust amongst professional stakeholders in environment and health. Environment and Planning A. 2008;40:696-714. (Additional information) (View publication online)
Dunn, C.E., Bhopal, R.S., Cockings, S., Walker, D., Rowlingson, B. & Diggle, P. Advancing insights into methods for studying environment-health relationships: A multidisciplinary approach to understanding Legionnaires' disease. Health & Place. 2007;13:677-690. (Additional information) (View publication online)
Atkins, P., Hassan, M. & Dunn, C.E. Environmental irony: summoning death in Bangladesh. Environment and Planning A. 2007;39:2699-2714.
Armstrong, B.G., Dolk, H., Pattenden, S., Vrijheid, M., Loane, M., Rankin, J., Dunn, C.E., Grundy, C., Abramsky, L., Boyd, P., Stone, D. & Wellesley, D. Geographic variation and localised clustering of congenital anomalies in Great Britain. Emerging Themes in Epidemiology. 2007;4:14.
Dunn, C.E. Participatory GIS: a people's GIS? Progress in Human Geography. 2007;31:616-637. (Additional information) (View publication online)
Hassan, M.M., Atkins, P.J. & Dunn, C.E. Social implications of arsenic poisoning in Bangladesh. Social Science and Medicine. 2006;61:2201-2211.
Atkins, P.J., Hassan, M.M. & Dunn, C.E. Toxic torts: arsenic poisoning in Bangladesh and the legal geographies of responsibility. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers. 2006;31:272-285. (Additional information)
Thomas, C.J., Davies, G. & Dunn, C.E. Mixed picture for changes in stable malaria distribution with future climate in Africa. Trends in Parasitology. 2004;20:216-220. (Additional information) (View publication online)
Hassan, M.M., Atkins, P.J. & Dunn, C.E. Suitable arsenic mitigation options in Bangladesh: voices of local people. Indian Journal of Landscape Systems and Ecological Studies. 2004;27:1-7.
Cockings, S., Dunn, C.E., Bhopal, R.S. & Walker, D.R. Users' perspectives on epidemiological, GIS and point pattern approaches to analysing environment and health data. Health & Place. 2004;10:169-182. (Additional information) (View publication online)
Williams, C. & Dunn, C.E. GIS in participatory research: assessing the impact of landmines on communities in north-west Cambodia. Transactions in GIS. 2003;7:393-410.
Howel, D., Moffatt, S., Bush, J., Dunn, C.E. & Prince, H. Public views on the links between air pollution and health in North-East England. Environmental Research. 2003;91:163-171.
Hassan, M.M., Atkins, P.J. & Dunn, C.E. The spatial pattern of risk from arsenic poisoning: A Bangladesh case study. Journal of Environmental Science and Health. 2003;38:1-24.
Bush, J., Moffatt, S. & Dunn, C.E. Contextualisation of local and global environmental issues in north-east England: implications for debates on globalisation and the 'risk society'. Local Environment. 2002;7:119-133.
Howel, D., Moffatt, S., Prince, H., Bush, J. & Dunn, C.E. Urban air quality in north-east England: Exploring the influences on local views and perceptions. Risk Analysis. 2002;22:121-130.
Bush, J., Moffatt, S. & Dunn, C.E. 'Even the birds round here cough': stigma, air pollution and health in Teesside. Health & Place. 2001;7:47-56. (Additional information) (View publication online)
Dunn, C.E., Kingham, S.P., Rowlingson, B., Bhopal, R.S., Cockings, S., Foy, C.J.W., Acquilla, S.D., Halpin, J., Diggle, P. & Walker, D. Analysing spatially referenced public health data: a comparison of three methodological approaches. Health & Place. 2001;7:1-12. (Additional information) (View publication online)
Bush, J., Moffatt, S. & Dunn, C.E. Keeping the public informed? Public negotiation of air quality information. Public Understanding of Science. 2001;10:213-229. (Additional information) (View publication online)

Journal papers: online

Dunn, C.E., Crowley, P., Bush, J., Pless-Mulloli, T. & McKinney, P.A. Expertise and scientific uncertainty: understanding trust amongst professional stakeholders in environment and health. Environment and Planning A. 2008;40:696-714. (Additional information) (View publication online)

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Grants Awarded and Grant Applications

2009: Built Infrastructure for Older People in Conditions of Climate Change’, EPSRC/ESRC: £401,401
2007: PARTICIPATORY NATURAL RESOURCE (£157839.00 from National Institutes of Health)
2001: ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS AND HEALTH (£18386.00 from NHS Northern & Yorkshire Region)
2000: Department of Health / Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions / Environment Agency: £123,890.
2000: Department of Health, Department of Environment and Medical Research Council Research Initiative on Research into the Effects of Air Pollutants on Health. £171,514.
2000: GEOGRAPHICAL VARIATION IN CONGENITAL ABNORMALITIES (£12340.00 from Department of Public Health & Policy)
2000: Northern and Yorkshire Public Health Observatory: £34,566.
2000: Northern and Yorkshire Regional Health Authority (now the NHS Executive: Northern and Yorkshire) Small Grants for Research and Development for a study 'Analysing public health datasets: comparing the potential of a Geographical Information Systems (GIS) approach, spatial point process techniques and traditional epidemiological methods'. £49,848.