TY - JOUR
T1 - Geospatial clustering of meningitis
T2 - An early warning system (hotspot) for potential meningitis outbreak in upper east region of Ghana
AU - Akyereko, Ernest
AU - Ameme, Donne
AU - Nyarko, Kofi M.
AU - Sackey, Samuel
AU - Asiedu-Bekoe, Franklin
AU - Issah, Kofi
AU - Wuni, Baba
AU - Kenu, Ernest
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© RCN Publishing Company Limited 2020.
PY - 2020/8
Y1 - 2020/8
N2 - Objective: We mapped and generated hot spots for potential meningitis outbreak from existing data in Upper East region, Ghana. Design: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in 2017 Data Source: Meningitis data in the Upper East Region from January 2007, to December 2016. Main outcome measure: We used spatial tools in Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS) and Geoda to draw choropleth map of meningitis incidence, case fatality and hotspot for potential meningitis outbreak Results: A total of 2312 meningitis cases (suspected and confirmed) were recorded from 2016-2017 with median incidence of 15.0cases/100,000 population (min 6.3, max 47.8). Median age of cases was 15 years (IQR: 6-31 years). Most (44.2%) of those affected were 10 years and below. Females (51.2%) constituted the highest proportion. Median incidence from 2007-2011 was 20cases/100,000 population (Min 11.3, Max 39.9) whilst from 2012- 2016 was 11.1cases/100,000 populations (Min 6.3, Max 47.8). A total of 28 significant hotspot sub-districts clusters (p=0.024) were identified with 7 High-high risk areas as potential meningitis outbreak spots. Conclusion: The occurrence of meningitis is not random, spatial cluster with high -high-risk exist in some sub-districts. Overall meningitis incidence and fatality rate have declined in the region with district variations. Districts with high meningitis incidence and fatality rates should be targeted for intervention.
AB - Objective: We mapped and generated hot spots for potential meningitis outbreak from existing data in Upper East region, Ghana. Design: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in 2017 Data Source: Meningitis data in the Upper East Region from January 2007, to December 2016. Main outcome measure: We used spatial tools in Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS) and Geoda to draw choropleth map of meningitis incidence, case fatality and hotspot for potential meningitis outbreak Results: A total of 2312 meningitis cases (suspected and confirmed) were recorded from 2016-2017 with median incidence of 15.0cases/100,000 population (min 6.3, max 47.8). Median age of cases was 15 years (IQR: 6-31 years). Most (44.2%) of those affected were 10 years and below. Females (51.2%) constituted the highest proportion. Median incidence from 2007-2011 was 20cases/100,000 population (Min 11.3, Max 39.9) whilst from 2012- 2016 was 11.1cases/100,000 populations (Min 6.3, Max 47.8). A total of 28 significant hotspot sub-districts clusters (p=0.024) were identified with 7 High-high risk areas as potential meningitis outbreak spots. Conclusion: The occurrence of meningitis is not random, spatial cluster with high -high-risk exist in some sub-districts. Overall meningitis incidence and fatality rate have declined in the region with district variations. Districts with high meningitis incidence and fatality rates should be targeted for intervention.
KW - Geospatial clustering
KW - Ghana
KW - Meningitis incidence
KW - Meningitis outbreak
KW - Upper East Region
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85094121551&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.4314/GMJ.V54I2S.6
DO - 10.4314/GMJ.V54I2S.6
M3 - Review article
C2 - 33536666
AN - SCOPUS:85094121551
SN - 0016-9560
VL - 54
SP - 32
EP - 39
JO - Ghana Medical Journal
JF - Ghana Medical Journal
IS - 2
ER -