<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Medical geography was conceptualized almost ten years ago due to its obvious usefulness in epidemiological research. Still, numerous diseases in many regions were neglected in these aspects of research, and the prevalence of kidney diseases in Eastern Europe is such an example. We evaluated the spatial patterns of main kidney diseases in south-eastern Romania, and highlighted the importance of spatial modeling in medical management in Romania. We found two statistically significant hotspots of kidney diseases prevalence. We also found differences in the spatial patterns between categories of diseases. We propose to speed up the process of creating a national database of records on kidney diseases. Offering the researchers access to a national database will allow further epidemiology studies in Romania and finally lead to a better management of medical services.</p></abstract>

Medical geography was conceptualized almost ten years ago due to its obvious usefulness in epidemiological research. Still, numerous diseases in many regions were neglected in these aspects of research, and the prevalence of kidney diseases in Eastern Europe is such an example. We evaluated the spatial patterns of main kidney diseases in south-eastern Romania, and highlighted the importance of spatial modeling in medical management in Romania. We found two statistically significant hotspots of kidney diseases prevalence. We also found differences in the spatial patterns between categories of diseases. We propose to speed up the process of creating a national database of records on kidney diseases. Offering the researchers access to a national database will allow further epidemiology studies in Romania and finally lead to a better management of medical services.

Spatial statistics detect clustering patterns of kidney diseases in south-eastern Romania

Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Ovidius University of Constanţa, Romania

“Sf. Apostol Andrei” Clinical Emergency Hospital of Constanţa, Romania

Faculty of Medicine, ”Ovidius” University of Constanţa, Romania

ARS Medica Tomitana

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Medical geography was conceptualized almost ten years ago due to its obvious usefulness in epidemiological research. Still, numerous diseases in many regions...

Spatial statistics detect clustering patterns of kidney diseases in south-eastern Romania

Published Online: Jun 11, 2016

Page range: 10 - 14

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/arsm-2016-0002

Keywords
Hot Spot Analysis, medical geography, chronic kidney disease, acute kidney injury, Romania

© 2016 Ruben I. et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Spatial statistics detect clustering patterns of kidney diseases in south-eastern Romania

Published Online: Jun 11, 2016

Page range: 10 - 14

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/arsm-2016-0002

KeywordsHot Spot Analysis, medical geography, chronic kidney disease, acute kidney injury, Romania

© 2016 Ruben I. et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Hot Spot Analysis, medical geography, chronic kidney disease, acute kidney injury, Romania