Spatial analysis of social determinants for tuberculosis in Thailand.
OBJECTIVE
The present study aimed to investigate the association between social factors and spatial risk of TB in Thailand.


METHODS
Ecological study and spatial statistics were employed to examine effects of social factors on age-standardized morbidity ratios of TB (SMR) in 76 provinces in Thailand during 2006-2009.


RESULTS
The autoregressive model reveals similarity of TB risk in proximal areas (Moran's I = 0.612; p < 0.05). After adjusting for HIV epidemic and spatial autocorrelation (rho = 0.581, p < 0.001), a spatial autoregressive model revealed significant relationship of unemployment rate (beta = 0.073) and household income (beta = 0.134) to spatial risk of TB with variance of explanation 55%.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study indicated the area at risk of TB is in areas with high employment rate and household income, which are specific characteristics of an urban area. Therefore, in urban areas that are vulnerable to TB transmission, a development of specific TB surveillance and prevention and control programs is need.
Mathuros
M
Tipayamongkholgul
Jongkol
J
Podang
Sukontha
S
Siri
D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D011156:Population Density; D011203:Poverty; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D062211:Spatio-Temporal Analysis; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014478:Unemployment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014504:Urban Health