Philippine Journal of Science
152 (3): 897–917, June 2023
ISSN 0031 – 7683
Date Received: 15 Nov 2022
Retrospective Spatial Analysis of the COVID-19 Threat
to the High-risk Population in Davao Region,
Philippines from March 2020 to August 2021
Federico D. Calo1, Mia Kristine C. Quinco2,3, Zython Paul T. Lachica1,3,§,
Gernelyn T. Logrosa1,4, Zarah Jean I. Diche1, Pamela Grace J. Roxas1,
Kim Dianne B. Ligue1,2, Joshua Mar A. Bompat5, Jolly Mae G. Catalan5,
Annabelle P. Yumang5, and May Anne E. Mata1,2,3*
1Center for Applied Modeling, Data Analytics, and Bioinformatics
for Decision Support Systems in Health,
University of the Philippines Mindanao, Davao City 8000 Philippines
2Department of Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science,
University of the Philippines Mindanao, Davao City 8000 Philippines
3Interdisciplinary Applied Modeling (IAM) Laboratory,
University of the Philippines Mindanao, Davao City 8000 Philippines
4Office for Research, Development, and Innovation (ORDI),
Mapúa Malayan Colleges Mindanao, Davao City 8000 Philippines
5Department of Health–Davao Center for Health Development, Davao City 8000 Philippines
§Current Address: St. Cross College, 61 St. Giles, University of Oxford OX1 3LZ United Kingdom
*Corresponding author: memata@up.edu.ph
[Download]
Calo F et al. 2023. Retrospective Spatial Analysis of the COVID-19 Threat to the High-risk Population
in Davao Region, Philippines from March 2020 to August 2021. Philipp J Sci 152(3): 897–917.
https://doi.org/10.56899/152.03.12
ABSTRACT
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the elderly and people with comorbidities are most vulnerable to COVID-19 infection. With this, the challenges and threats posed to the vulnerable population require targeted interventions. While public health surveillance methods had developed recent advances to meet users’ information needs, the volume and complexity of infectious disease data had increased, resulting in increasing difficulty to facilitate risk communication with the public and for decision-makers to make informed measures to protect the public’s health. Moreover, the implementation of COVID-19 spatiotemporal disease surveillance strategies specifically targeting the vulnerable population in the Davao Region had been previously unexplored. This paper investigated the COVID-19 incidence in the Davao Region from 03 Mar 2020, the earliest recorded date of onset, to 31 Aug 2021 using geospatial tools. The variables were visualized through choropleth maps and graduated symbols, and subsequently examined through spatial autocorrelation and hotspot analysis. Hotspots across the region were observed to be in high-density areas. These areas pose greater risks of infection due to the presence of a high concentration of cases. However, high case fatality rates were found in far-flung municipalities where access to COVID-19 healthcare facilities is a dilemma. In the COVID-19 setting and future disease outbreaks similar to COVID-19, results from this study may provide insights to government offices and other related agencies to improve healthcare systems and programs such as providing and initiating tailor-fitted isolation and consultation mechanisms appropriate to the vulnerable population in a community.