Kevin Mackay
The Effect of Occupation on the Spatial Distribution of HIV and Aids in Thailand Using Amoeba Cluster Analysis © 2013
HIV is a worldwide epidemic that affects millions of people. The purpose of this paper is to compare the spatial distribution of HIV and AIDS by occupation in Thailand. A new cluster analysis tool developed in 2006, AMOEBA, can be used identify local clusters that are typically irregularly- shaped within a study area. The AMOEBA tool will use the local Gi* statistic to classify a cluster of spatial units as lower or higher at a 0.05 confidence level. The outcome determined that the spatial distribution of HIV and AIDS for agricultural and non-agricultural groups were dependent on urbanity. Secondly, due to issues with no data, the spatial distribution of HIV and AIDS for the student occupation group could not be explained. As a result, the AMOEBA tool allowed new research questions to be developed.