Geographical Analysis of Hypertension Distribution in Bengkulu City using a Geographic Information System Approach

Abstract

Hypertension is one of the most prevalent non-communicable disease and remains a major public health challenge worldwide. Understanding its spatial distribution is important for describing geographical variations in disease burden and supporting evidence based public health planning. This study aimed to describe the spatial and temporal distribution of reported hypertension cases in Bengkulu City, Indonesia during the period 2020-2024. A quantitative approach with a descriptive ecological desgin was employed using secondary data on hypertension cases among individuals aged ≥15 years obtained from 20 public health centers. Spatial analysis was conducted using Geographic Information System (GIS) and hypertension case distribution was classified into low, moderate, and high categories using the Equal Interval method. The findings revealed substantial spatial and temporal variation in reported hypertension cases throughout the study period. Most areas of Bengkulu City were consistently classified in the high category, with complete spatial coverage observed in 2021, 2022, and 2024, whereas limited moderate category areas emerged in 2023. Districts including Selebar, Gading Cempaka, Ratu Agung, Singgaran Pati, Muara Bangka Hulu, and Kampung Melayu repeatedly exhibited higher reported case burdens than other areas. However, considerable fluctuations in the annual number of reported cases were observed and should be interpreted cautiously, as variations in surveillance systems, reporting pratices, and health service utilization may have influenced the reported patterns. Overall, hypertension remained widely distributed across Bengkulu City during the study period. GIS based mapping provides useful baseline information for public health surveillance and may support the development of geographically targeted prevention and control strategies.