Spatiotemporal patterns of influenza in Western Australia

Background: Understanding the geospatial distribution of influenza infection and the risk factors associated with infection clustering can inform targeted preventive interventions. We conducted a geospatial analysis to investigate the spatial patterns and identify drivers of medically attended influ...

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Main Authors: Kefyalew Addis Alene, Hannah C. Moore, Archie C.A. Clements, Beth Gilmour, Dylan D. Barth, Rebecca Pavlos, Ben Scalley, Christopher C. Blyth
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Public Health in Practice
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666535225000217
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author Kefyalew Addis Alene
Hannah C. Moore
Archie C.A. Clements
Beth Gilmour
Dylan D. Barth
Rebecca Pavlos
Ben Scalley
Christopher C. Blyth
author_facet Kefyalew Addis Alene
Hannah C. Moore
Archie C.A. Clements
Beth Gilmour
Dylan D. Barth
Rebecca Pavlos
Ben Scalley
Christopher C. Blyth
author_sort Kefyalew Addis Alene
collection DOAJ
description Background: Understanding the geospatial distribution of influenza infection and the risk factors associated with infection clustering can inform targeted preventive interventions. We conducted a geospatial analysis to investigate the spatial patterns and identify drivers of medically attended influenza infection across all age groups in Western Australia (WA). Methods: Data for confirmed influenza cases were obtained from the WA Notifiable Infectious Diseases Database for the period 2017–2020. Data were also obtained for vaccination coverage, meteorological parameters, socioeconomic indicators, and healthcare access. Spatial clustering of influenza incidence was identified using Global Moran's I and Getis-Ord statistic. Bayesian spatial models were used to identify factors associated with spatial clustering of infection. Results: Of the 36,228 influenza cases reported, over half (18,773, 51·8 %) were in individuals aged between 15 and 64 years and more than three quarters (28,545, 78·9 %) in the Perth metropolitan region. The annual incidence rate ranged from 2·7 per 1000 population in individuals aged between 15 and 64 years to 5·2 per 1000 population in children <5 years of age. For all age groups, the lowest incidence (0·4 per 1000 population) and the highest incidence rate (8·8 per 1000 population) were reported during and pre-the COVID-19 pandemic respectively. The influenza incidence rate shows both seasonal and spatial variation. Spatial clustering was significantly associated with distance to the nearest health facility in minutes (B = −0·181; 95 %CrI: 0·279, −0·088) and annual mean temperature in degrees Celsius (B = 0·171; 95 %CrI: 0·015, 0·319). Conclusions: Spatial clustering of influenza incidence was significantly associated with climatic conditions and healthcare access.
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spelling doaj-art-25161c5f117c4fa989b648ca51a64ffb2025-08-20T03:07:24ZengElsevierPublic Health in Practice2666-53522025-06-01910060210.1016/j.puhip.2025.100602Spatiotemporal patterns of influenza in Western AustraliaKefyalew Addis Alene0Hannah C. Moore1Archie C.A. Clements2Beth Gilmour3Dylan D. Barth4Rebecca Pavlos5Ben Scalley6Christopher C. Blyth7School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, The Kids Research Institute Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Geospatial and Tuberculosis Research Team, The Kids Research Institute Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Corresponding author. The Kids Research Institute Australia, Western Australia, Australia.School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, The Kids Research Institute Australia, Perth, Western Australia, AustraliaWesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, The Kids Research Institute Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, UKSchool of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Geospatial and Tuberculosis Research Team, The Kids Research Institute Australia, Perth, Western Australia, AustraliaWesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, The Kids Research Institute Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Western Australian Department of Health, Perth, WA, AustraliaWesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, The Kids Research Institute Australia, Perth, Western Australia, AustraliaNorth Metropolitan Health Service, Perth, WA, AustraliaWesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, The Kids Research Institute Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, Perth Children's Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia; PathWest Laboratory Medicine, QEII Medical Centre, Nedlands, Perth, WA, AustraliaBackground: Understanding the geospatial distribution of influenza infection and the risk factors associated with infection clustering can inform targeted preventive interventions. We conducted a geospatial analysis to investigate the spatial patterns and identify drivers of medically attended influenza infection across all age groups in Western Australia (WA). Methods: Data for confirmed influenza cases were obtained from the WA Notifiable Infectious Diseases Database for the period 2017–2020. Data were also obtained for vaccination coverage, meteorological parameters, socioeconomic indicators, and healthcare access. Spatial clustering of influenza incidence was identified using Global Moran's I and Getis-Ord statistic. Bayesian spatial models were used to identify factors associated with spatial clustering of infection. Results: Of the 36,228 influenza cases reported, over half (18,773, 51·8 %) were in individuals aged between 15 and 64 years and more than three quarters (28,545, 78·9 %) in the Perth metropolitan region. The annual incidence rate ranged from 2·7 per 1000 population in individuals aged between 15 and 64 years to 5·2 per 1000 population in children <5 years of age. For all age groups, the lowest incidence (0·4 per 1000 population) and the highest incidence rate (8·8 per 1000 population) were reported during and pre-the COVID-19 pandemic respectively. The influenza incidence rate shows both seasonal and spatial variation. Spatial clustering was significantly associated with distance to the nearest health facility in minutes (B = −0·181; 95 %CrI: 0·279, −0·088) and annual mean temperature in degrees Celsius (B = 0·171; 95 %CrI: 0·015, 0·319). Conclusions: Spatial clustering of influenza incidence was significantly associated with climatic conditions and healthcare access.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666535225000217EpidemiologySpatialSpatiotemporalInfluenzaWestern Australia
spellingShingle Kefyalew Addis Alene
Hannah C. Moore
Archie C.A. Clements
Beth Gilmour
Dylan D. Barth
Rebecca Pavlos
Ben Scalley
Christopher C. Blyth
Spatiotemporal patterns of influenza in Western Australia
Public Health in Practice
Epidemiology
Spatial
Spatiotemporal
Influenza
Western Australia
title Spatiotemporal patterns of influenza in Western Australia
title_full Spatiotemporal patterns of influenza in Western Australia
title_fullStr Spatiotemporal patterns of influenza in Western Australia
title_full_unstemmed Spatiotemporal patterns of influenza in Western Australia
title_short Spatiotemporal patterns of influenza in Western Australia
title_sort spatiotemporal patterns of influenza in western australia
topic Epidemiology
Spatial
Spatiotemporal
Influenza
Western Australia
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666535225000217
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