Study title

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The research project from which this dataset was produced was designed to help bridge the divide in understanding of the possible environmental causes of breast cancer in the United Kingdom. This divide exists between the official cancer research and treatment world, and other unofficial groups of diverse expertise. The geographic information system methodology used (Geographic Information Systems for Participation, or GIS-P) was intended to increase the understanding of the various positions in the debate both for the researchers, but also more importantly, between the communities of interest. The intention was to stimulate debate through the shared understanding that could be achieved by debating the knowledge and viewpoints expressed through the maps. In this respect, debate stimulation was more important than to capture detailed participatory derived spatial data (as has been the case with previous GIS-P projects). In practice, the process proved problematic, which explains the relatively limited quantity of GIS-P data collected.
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The files contain the initial GIS-P maps obtained by digitising the participatory maps drawn at focus group interviews held in Wrexham, North Wales and the village of Quarter, in Lanarkshire, Scotland. They show respondents' perceptions of risk factors associated with the incidence of breast cancer in their local environments.