title: Environmental factors and population at risk of malaria in Nkomazi municipality, South Africa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Nkomazi local municipality of South Africa is a high-risk malaria region with an incidence rate of about 500 cases per 100 000. We examined the influence of environmental factors on population (age group) at risk of malaria.
  
  
  METHODS
  r software was used to statistically analyse data. Using remote sensing technology, a Landsat 8 image of 4th October 2015 was classified using object-based classification and a 5-m resolution. Spot height data were used to generate a digital elevation model of the area.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 60 718 malaria cases were notified across 48 health facilities in Nkomazi municipality between January 1997 and August 2015. Malaria incidence was highly associated with irrigated land (P = 0.001), water body (P = 0.011) and altitude ≤400 m (P = 0.001). The multivariate model showed that with 10% increase in the extent of irrigated areas, malaria risk increased by almost 39% in the entire study area and by almost 44% in the 2-km buffer zone of selected villages. Malaria incidence is more pronounced in the economically active population aged 15-64 and in males. Both incidence and case fatality rate drastically declined over the study period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A predictive model based on environmental factors would be useful in the effort towards malaria elimination by fostering appropriate targeting of control measures and allocating of resources.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Geoinformation Science, Department of Geography, Geoinformation and Meteorology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Adeola
authors.affiliation: Centre for Geoinformation Science, Department of Geography, Geoinformation and Meteorology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa.
authors.forename: O J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Botai
authors.affiliation: Earth Observation Directorate, South African National Space Agency, Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Olwoch
authors.affiliation: Centre for Geoinformation Science, Department of Geography, Geoinformation and Meteorology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa.
authors.forename: C J de W
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Rautenbach
authors.affiliation: Centre for Geoinformation Science, Department of Geography, Geoinformation and Meteorology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa.
authors.forename: O M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Adisa
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: O J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Taiwo
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environmental Study, Department of Geography, Geoinformation and Meteorology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kalumba
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000469:parasitology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002980:Climate; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D062305:Geographic Mapping; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009032:Mosquito Control / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: LULC; Landsat; Malaria; clasificación basada en objetos; classification basée sur l'objet; datos de uso y cobertura del suelo; elevación; elevation; environment; environnement; land use/land cover; malaria; medio ambiente; object-based classification; paludisme; remote sensing; sensores remotos; télédétection; élévation