Dengue in Cebu City, Philippines: A Pilot Study of Predictive Models and Visualizations for Public Health

Dengue is a global health issue, particularly in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Prevention is the most appropriate method to fight the spread of the virus. The objective of this research is to present a model, along with visualizations, that will enable health officials and community leaders to identify when and where potential dengue outbreaks are likely to occur. Armed with this information, local resources can be adequately deployed in an effort to use limited supplies effectively. A mathematical model that uses easily obtainable data, along with visualizations for the 80 barangays of Cebu City, Philippines, is presented. Visualizations are constructed appropriate for a generalist audience to comprehend and use for dengue mitigation. Results of this study include a model that uses readily available data to predict dengue outbreaks one month in advance and visualizations appropriate for decision-makers in public health. Additional items are identified that could enhance the explanatory power of the model, and future directions are discussed.