Spatial Analysis of Cervical Cancer and the Correlated factors in Uganda.

Abstract

This study aimed at exploring Geographical information systems to analyze the spatial distribution of cervical cancer and the correlated factors to target the high risk areas in Uganda. This involved determining the distribution of cervical cancer, developing a factor hotspot map and determining its correlation to the distribution and also exploring the spatial relationship of the correlated factors to cervical cancer distribution.

An ecological descriptive method of investigation was employed on the secondary data from the various data sources in Uganda. The study applied dot density map to determine the distribution cervical cancer and areal interpolation to predict the hotspot areas in Uganda. The study also applied overlay analysis which combined the different correlated factors maps basing on weights from expert opinion and a factor hotspot map was created to communicate the risk of cervical cancer that is expected. The spatial relationships between the distribution of cervical cancer and correlated factors was analyzed using regression analysis where, exploratory regression was applied to determine the best variable combination, which was used in the Ordinary least regression to determine the best variable that were applied in Geographically weighted regression to determine the spatial relationships that existed.

This study concluded that majority of districts in Uganda are at high risk of cervical cancer infection and there is a lot of under screening of the disease thus, wide scale screening is recommended in order to target the high risk areas and high missed cases before a wide scale infection is realized where a large majority of women are likely to develop cervical cancer infection

Cervical cancer is a screen preventable disease, despite this fact majority of women in Uganda report to major health centers at advanced stage of the disease leading to high mortality of the disease. The analysis to determine areas to screen in Uganda lack the spatial component where high risk areas can be determined and target intervention to close the gap in screening that exist, that has led to late presentation and high mortality of the disease.