SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF TUBERCULOSIS IN GOMBE STATE USING GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS APPROACH

Abstract

This research was carried out to examine the spatial distribution of tuberculosis in Gombe State
using GIS approach from 2010-2015. Used in this study were secondary data, obtained from the
tuberculosis and leprosy control center in Gombe for a period, 2010-2015. Data and information for
the research were collected from the eleven local government areas of the State. The Moran I index
was used to examine the values of spatial autocorrelation of tuberculosis prevalence in the study
area. Additionally, the IDW (Inverse Distance Weighing) method interpolation was employed
in this study for identifying the spatial pattern of tuberculosis prevalence. The research revealed
there were a number of reported cases of PTB ( Pulmonary Tuberclosis) and EPTB (Extra
Pulmonary Tuberclosis) over the years and in the eleven local government areas of the state for the
period of study. The pattern showed decreasing and increasing cases between the years with few
reported cases of PTB in 2010 in Dukku Local Government Area and escalating prevalence of over
15 percent in 2014. The hotspot regions of high PTB occurrence in 2010 were Dukku,
Yamaltu/Deba, Nafada and Kaltungo, while in 2014 the regions of higher occurrence were
Shongom, Kwami, Akko, Kaltungo and Nafada. The cold spot regions of low PTB occurrence
included Dukku, Balanga, Billiri and Gombe Local government Areas. The study further revealed
that the occurrence of tuberculosis among males and females varied and these variations were much
higher between males and females in Nafada, Shongom, Kaltungo and Kwami Local
Government Areas.