title: Spatial analysis and mapping of malaria risk in an endemic area, south of Iran: a GIS based decision making for planning of control.
abstract: Bashagard district is one of the important malaria endemic areas in southern Iran. From this region a total of 16,199 indigenous cases have been reported in recent years. The aim of this study was to determine the situation of the disease and provide the risk map for the area. ArcGIS9.2 was used for mapping spatial distribution of malaria incidence. Hot spots were obtained using evidence-based weighting method for transmission risk. Environmental factors including temperature, relative humidity, altitude, slope and distance to rivers were combined by weighted multi criteria evaluation for mapping malaria hazard area at the district level. Similarly, risk map was developed by overlaying weighted hazard, land use/land cover, population density, malaria incidence, development factors and intervention methods. Our results reveal that the disease mainly occurs in north and east of the study area. Consequently the district is divided into three strata. Appropriate interventions are recommended for each stratum based on national malaria policy. Malaria hazard and risk map, stratification based on relevant information and data analyzing provide a useful method preparedness and early warning system for malaria control, although regular updating is required timely.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Entomology & Vector Control, School of Public Health & National Institute of Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Hanafi-Bojd
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vatandoost
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Oshaghi
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Charrahy
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Haghdoost
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zamani
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abedi
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Sedaghat
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soltani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shahi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raeisi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods*; D003657:Decision Making; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018570:Risk Assessment