A Comparison of Four Disease Mapping Techniques as Applied to TB Diseases in Malaysia

Abstract

This paper discusses the results of relative risk estimation based on four different types of methods. The methods used in this study are Standard Morbidity Ratio (SMR), Poisson-gamma model, stochastic Susceptible-Infective- Recovered (SIR) model and new alternative method that we proposed, stochastic Susceptible-Latently infected-Infectious- Recovered (SLIR) model. All the results are comparing and presenting in the form of graphs, tables and maps. These relative risk estimations are applied to TB count data in Malaysia. The maps showed the high-low risk areas for TB occurrence and this can be useful to interest parties in terms of government policy and financial support.