Mapping of morbidity pattern of respiratory diseases: medical block analysis in the northern belt of India

The present study aims to evaluate the burden of respiratory diseases in geographic information system (GIS)—a block level analysis. The study is based on retrospective analysis of data from medical records obtained from Directorate of health services Kashmir, integrated disease surveillance program, and clinically investigated data from one of the clinic (chest hospital) managing respiratory diseases in the summer capital of the state J&K—India from 2013 to 2017. Morbidity frequency measures were used to find the population at risk i.e. incidence rate per thousand of the total population and prevalence per hundred of the total population, with spatial temporal changes in the incidence rate from the year 2013 to 2017. Normal standard score or Z value was carried to estimate the average magnitude of respiratory diseases in the study area. Kendal’s ranking and composite index techniques were used to estimate the intensity of respiratory diseases both disease and area wise. The results obtained were shown in a GIS environment using Arc GIS software 10.2. The outcome of this research will be effectively used in epidemiological planning to lessen the burden of respiratory diseases.