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. 2022 Mar-Apr;39(2):110-115.
doi: 10.4103/lungindia.lungindia_454_21.

Spatial analysis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and its risk factors in an urban area of Trivandrum, Kerala, India

Sethulekshmi Surendran  1 , Ananth Mohan  1 , Mathew Joseph Valamparampil  1 , Sanjeev Nair  2 , Sreekanth Karthikeyan Balakrishnan  1 , Achu Asokan Laila  3 , Rajesh Reghunath  3 , Chinu Jose  3 , Amjith Rajeevan  1 , Prasannakumar Vasudevakaimal  3 , Anish Tekkumkara Surendrannair  1 , Zinia Thajudeen Nujum  4 , Sara Varghese  5 , Alladi Mohan  6
Affiliations

Spatial analysis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and its risk factors in an urban area of Trivandrum, Kerala, India

Sethulekshmi Surendran et al. Lung India. 2022 Mar-Apr.

Abstract

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the second leading cause of death in India. The objective of this study was to map COPD cases and its risk factors and to determine the association between them using geographic information system (GIS) in a semi-urban area of Trivandrum, South India.

Materials and methods: This community-based cross-sectional, descriptive study (n = 494) was conducted in a subcenter area of a primary health center. Location was mapped and COPD population screener questionnaire was administered to all the study subjects enrolled by census method. Lifetime firewood exposure (person-hours) and tobacco smoking were enquired and distance from road was mapped using portable differential global positioning system. The association with COPD was assessed by kriging and hotspot analysis using ArcGIS software.

Results: The prevalence of COPD (6.5%) was comparable to national prevalence estimates. Spatial maps showed COPD case clustering in areas with higher firewood exposure, greater smoking exposure, and in households with closer proximity to local roads. A particular high-risk cluster was obtained which had a significant association with all the risk factors.

Conclusion: GIS technology is useful in identification of spatial clustering of COPD cases and its environmental risk factors, making it an important tool for targeted interventions for COPD.

Keywords: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; India; geographic information system; risk factors; spatial analysis.

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Conflict of interest statement

None

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Description of the study area and distribution of various risk factors for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. (a) The geographical distribution of the study area. (b) The distribution of households in the study area. (c) The distribution of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease cases. (d) The distribution of the households with firewood smoke exposure. (e) The households with smoking exposure
Figure 2
Figure 2
Combined hotspot map (combining geographic information system data of risk factors with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease cases to identify hotspots). (a) Spatial coordinates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlaid on the firewood exposure distribution. (b) Spatial coordinates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlaid on the firewood exposure hotspots. (c) Hotspots based on combined effect of smoking, firewood exposure, and the distance from the roads
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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