Epi Info and Epi Map: current status and plans for Epi Info 2000.

In order to deliver public health services, epidemiologists and other public health professionals need low cost and easy-to-use computer software tools to manage data, perform data analysis, and map results. The software must function on laptop computers during field studies as well as in office environments. Epi Info' and Epi Map' are personal computer (PC) software programs developed since 1985 in response to this need by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Epi Info provides data entry, data management, graphics, and statistical analysis functions. Epi Map displays geographic data from Epi Info or dBASE files as color, pattern, or dot-density maps. Both are public domain programs that are available at low or no cost. This article reviews the features of the DOS-based versions of Epi Info and Epi Map programs that currently are used by many public health practitioners around the world and describes plans for the next iteration, Epi Info 2000, which has not yet been released. In contrast to the DOS-based Epi Info and Epi Map programs, Epi Info 2000 will be Windowsbased. Epi Info 2000 also will be designed to facilitate integration (Table 1) with high-end geographic information systems (GIS) programs.