Why is Spatial Autocorrelation Important in Epidemiology?
Understanding spatial autocorrelation helps epidemiologists identify and interpret the geographic distribution of diseases. This can aid in pinpointing disease hotspots, understanding the spread of infectious diseases, and implementing targeted public health interventions. For instance, if malaria cases are found to be clustered in a particular area, public health officials can focus their resources on that area to control the outbreak more effectively.
