title: Spatial distribution and risk factors of influenza in Jiangsu province, China, based on geographical information system.
abstract: Influenza poses a constant, heavy burden on society. Recent research has focused on ecological factors associated with influenza incidence and has also studied influenza with respect to its geographic spread at different scales. This research explores the temporal and spatial parameters of influenza and identifies factors influencing its transmission. A spatial autocorrelation analysis, a spatial-temporal cluster analysis and a spatial regression analysis of influenza rates, carried out in Jiangsu province from 2004 to 2011, found that influenza rates to be spatially dependent in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008. South-western districts consistently revealed hotspots of high-incidence influenza. The regression analysis indicates that railways, rivers and lakes are important predictive environmental variables for influenza risk. A better understanding of the epidemic pattern and ecological factors associated with pandemic influenza should benefit public health officials with respect to prevention and controlling measures during future epidemics.
authors.forename: Jia-Cheng
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wen-Dong
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Jian-Li
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Jessie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Norris
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chang-Jun
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.forename: Fen-Yang
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Rong-Bin
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Ming-Hao
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Hong-Bing
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zhi-Hang
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Peng
mesh_terms: D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D058872:Epidemics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D062306:Geography, Medical; D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000635:transmission; D012307:Risk Factors; D062211:Spatio-Temporal Analysis