Spatiotemporal analysis of malaria prevalence in Ghana

Keywords: Malaria, Climate variability, Spatial analysis, Temporal analysis, Africa-Ghana
Session Type: Virtual Paper
Day: Wednesday
Session Start / End Time: 4/7/2021 01:30 PM (Pacific Time (US & Canada)) - 4/7/2021 02:45 PM (Pacific Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 18

Abstract

Global reports indicate decline in malaria cases while associated deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa continue to increase. Notwithstanding the efforts by public health stakeholders, malaria continue to be the number one outpatient department (OPD) case in Ghana. There are conflicting results from research on the spatial variability and climate related impacts on malaria prevalence making the efforts to combat and eliminate the disease cumbersome. Data generation at different geographical scales is therefore critical to understand and eliminate the disease. To combat the overburden of the disease a comprehensive analysis is required at temporal and spatial levels. The study examined the varying spatial and seasonal variation in malaria prevalence over time in Ghana. We used trajectory and time series analyses for temporal distribution and conducted spatial and statistical analyses of the disease prevalence in the country. The study used malaria prevalence and climate related data spanning across 16 years. The study analyses revealed that malaria prevalence was clustered in certain areas over time with high risk population. Elevated risk was also observed during certain times of the year. The results suggest that synthesizing data on malaria disease may be an effective strategy for monitoring, evaluating, and predicting malaria risk across different geographic scales. In addition, the study highlights the importance of integrated data to improve current malaria elimination support programs.