A Scoping Review of GIS Mapping of Type 1 Diabetes in Children: Identifying Current Gaps and Future Research Directions Using PRISMA-ScR

Demi Miriam; Navendu Chaudhary; Sushil Yewale; Anuradha Khadilkar

doi:10.2174/0115733998288125240402052930

A Scoping Review of GIS Mapping of Type 1 Diabetes in Children: Identifying Current Gaps and Future Research Directions Using PRISMA-ScR

Curr Diabetes Rev. 2024 Apr 26. doi: 10.2174/0115733998288125240402052930. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Demi Miriam¹, Navendu Chaudhary², Sushil Yewale¹, Anuradha Khadilkar¹

Affiliations

¹ Hirabai Cowasji Jehangir Medical Research Institute (HCJMRI), Jehangir Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
² Symbiosis Institute of Geo-Informatics (SIG), Symbiosis International (Deemed) University, Pune, Maharashtra, India.

PMID: 38676507
DOI: 10.2174/0115733998288125240402052930

Abstract

Background: Type 1 Diabetes poses a significant public health threat, especially in low-and-middle countries, where resources are limited. The use of geographical information systems in diabetes research has shown the potential to reveal several epidemiological risk factors.

Aims: This scoping review aimed to identify the scope and extent of the current literature and explore its limitations on the geographical mapping of children with type 1 diabetes.

Methods: A scoping review was conducted using five electronic databases and included studies published between the years 2000 and 2023. The search terms included: "Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus", "GIS mapping", "Juvenile Onset Diabetes Mellitus", "Spatial Epidemiology", "Spatial Clustering", "Spatial analysis", and "Geographic information system". Relevant full-text articles that met the inclusion criteria were selected for review.

Results: The search identified 17 studies that met the criteria for inclusion in the review. More than half the studies were conducted before 2015 (n=11; 61%). All studies were conducted in High-Income Countries. More than 10 articles studied environmental factors, 3 of them focused on the environment, 6 of them included sociodemographic factors, and 1 study incorporated nutrition (as a variable) in environmental factors. 2 studies focused on the accessibility of health services by pediatric patients.

Conclusion: Studies on type 1 diabetes highlight the complex relationship between incidence and risk, suggesting comprehensive prevention and treatment. Geographical mapping has potential in low- and middle-income nations, but further research is needed to develop innovative strategies. The importance of geomappping in understanding the risk factors for Type 1 Diabetes is highlighted in this scoping review, which also suggests a possible direction for focused interventions, particularly in settings with low resources.

Keywords: GIS; PRISMA-ScR; Spatial ClusterinType 1 Diabetes; Spatial Clustering; Spatial Epidemiology; Type 1 Diabetes.