Spatio–temporal analysis for hand foot mouth diseases (HFMD) distribution in Bentong, Pahang

HFMD in Malaysia is one of the endemic diseases and has been around for over a century. The Annual Health Indicator from 2012 to 2016 by the Ministry of Health Malaysia showed Pahang has contributed a great deal of HFMD cases in Malaysia. The objective of this study is to assess the distribution of HFMD cases in Bentong District, Pahang from 2010 to 2017 using spatio and temporal analysis as well as determine the hotspot area. GIS and spatial study become an indispensable component of the integrative HFMD management. Spatio-temporal distribution of a disease displays the detail of its occurrence; hotspots area and clustering detections focus at the mukims level which is different from data given. Secondary data of HFMD cases in the range of 2010 and 2017 was collected from Bentong Health District Office. Data regarding disease longitude and latitude has filled into e-notifikasi system. Process of identifying case location is conducted to ensure the authenticity of coordinate information. Then, after the coordinate were retrieved, case plotting into the map was conducted. The finding of the study and the outcome portrays distribution of HFMD cases with a clustered pattern dependent on the distance analysis conducted. In view of spatio-temporal analysis, HFMD clusters were found in Bentong mukim. Other than that, along the month of May to December was distinguished consistent as a significant temporal distribution of HFMD. Spatial analysis positively affected on the HFMD distribution in eight years. Kernell density analysis showed that Bentong mukim had been recognized as hotspot area. Overall, this outcome indicated the benefit of spatial mapping for future and viable public health strategy of prevention.