Key result
Climate variables, primarily humidity and temperature, were found to significantly influence the incidence of hand, foot, and mouth disease across five states in Malaysia.
Why the study?
Evidence suggests climate change affects hand-foot-mouth disease, but only a few studies have addressed this association in Malaysia.
Do climate factors influence the occurrence of Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease in Malaysia?
Observational
Yes
Do climate factors influence the occurrence of Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease in Malaysia?
Humidity and temperature are the primary climate factors affecting the incidence of Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease in Malaysia.
May inform HFMD surveillance using humidity and temperature in Malaysia; leaves open causal validation and broader applicability.
Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) has become an important public health problem worldwide due to its tendency to cause outbreaks and human death. The outbreak of HFMD with clinical and fatal complications has been noticed in the Asia Pacific region since the late 1990s. The increasing evidence of climate change effect on HFMD has motivated the need for further investigations. Numerous previous studies conducted in several countries have established a significant association between climate factors and HFMD. However, there are currently only a few studies in Malaysia addressing these issues. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the link between climate factors and the occurrences of HFMD in five states representing each region of Malaysia by using a generalized linear model approach. The weekly HFMD cases and four climate variables, including temperature, humidity, rainfall, and wind speed, were examined. The findings indicate that climate variables significantly influence HFMD in Malaysia; however, it varies between states as different states experience different climates. Additionally, the results revealed that humidity and temperature were the primary climate factors affecting the incidence of HFMD in Malaysia. This study could guide policymakers, health agencies, and local communities in determining the most effective prevention and control strategies.
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Wahid et al. (2021) conducted an observational in Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). Climate factors (temperature, humidity, rainfall, wind speed) was evaluated on Occurrences of HFMD (weekly cases). Climate variables, primarily humidity and temperature, were found to significantly influence the incidence of hand, foot, and mouth disease across five states in Malaysia.
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