Relationship between geographical location and the incidence of scorpion stings: Application geoprocessing techniques

Scorpion accidents are medically and hygienically important, either because of their high incidence or their morbidity, especially when they affect children under five years of age. This study characterised the spatial profile of scorpion accidents recorded in the municipality of Campina Grande, Paraíba. Methods: exploratory ecological study using geoprocessing techniques based on confirmed cases of scorpion stings (n=1,466) occurring in urban areas between January 2010 and December 2012. Google Earth, Trackmaker, Esri ArcGIS 10 software and the statistical programme R version 2.15.1 were used for geocoding the database. Results: The highest incidence occurred in females (n=908, 61.9%) in the 13-28 age group (n=428, 29.2%). The southern zone of the city had the highest number of recorded cases (n=548, 37.4%), followed by the western zone (n=510, 34.8%). Conclusion: Spatial analysis found non-homogeneity in the distribution of these cases, with no association observed between socioeconomic factors and the location of the occurrence of this condition.

Pagina's: 52, Paperback, Our Knowledge Publishing