Effect of geographicity on the spatial occurrence of malaria in Ekona in the windward slope of Cameroon
Keywords:
Behaviour, Ekona, geographic effect, malaria, mount CameroonAbstract
Terrain disparities and environmental features play a vital role in the distribution of living organisms, including pathogens that threaten human health. In recent years, emphasis has been put on the contribution of climatic variations to disease prevalence, particularly malaria. This study aims to analyze the effect of local factors on the spatial incidence of malaria cases in Ekona, an urbanized area found at the windward slope of Mount Cameroon. Two sources of data are used. Secondary sources of data include clinical malaria records collected from two health units in the study area, climatic data from ground stations, a 30-meter ETM+ spatial resolution data and the map of the study area. The primary data were collected with questionnaire, through surveys of 52 households in the town of Ekona. The data collected were geo-referenced and mapped with GIS software. A spatial autocorrelation was tested using a joint-count statistical method. Regression analysis was performed for climate parameters and malaria incidence, then the contribution of social and behavioral factors assessed for spatial incidence of malaria. The results reveal a checkerboard pattern, in spatial distribution of malaria incidence with highly contaminated localities sharing boundaries with less contaminated ones. It shows a correlation between increase in temperature and an increase in malaria incidence throughout the year but not strictly across space. The analysis revealed a strong contribution of the accumulation of some social parameters to the spatial incidence of malaria cases in the study area throughout the year. The study concludes on the necessity to communicate and educate the population in this area on malaria in order to reduce the spatial incidence of the disease.
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