Geographic Distribution of Patients with Congenital Craniofacial Malformations at Srinagarind Hospital between 2005 and 2014
Kaewjai Thepsuthammarat PhD*, Rumpan Pattaranit MSc**, Vasana Chantachum BSc**, Chainarong Songsung BSc**, Sanguansak Thanaviratananich MD, MSc, FRCOT, FICS***, Bowornsilp Chowchuen MD, MBA****
Affiliation : * Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand ** Medical Records and Statistics Department. Srinagarind Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand *** Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand **** Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
Background : Although the prevalence of newborns with cleft lip/cleft palate in northeastern Thailand is high and the region
has a center of excellence for craniofacial deformities at Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University, there has to date been
no geographic epidemiologic study of congenital craniofacial malformations (CCM) in Thailand.
Objective : To study the geographic distributions of patients with CCM.
Material and Method: This was a descriptive retrospective study conducted using the medical records of patients with CCM
who attended Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University between 2005 and 2014. The geographic information system
(GIS) was used to visualize the distribution of patients.
Results : There were 4,721 out-patients and 2,922 in-patients (52.5% male). Most of the patients (48.8 %) were between 1 and
15 years of age. Most of the patients were in Khon Kaen (23.8%); mostly in the central and sub-district of Khon Kaen
municipality. Overall, the highest prevalence of CCM was for patients with cleft palate with cleft lip (16.2%). The highest
prevalence in Khon Kaen was for congenital malformations of the eyelid, lacrimal apparatus, and orbit (21.6%).
Conclusion : Most patients attending Srinagarind Hospital lived in urban Khon Kaen, probably because of (a) accessibility
(b) its being a center for craniofacial deformities and (c) its being designated the nearest health care delivery center. The
results of the GIS analysis will be used for planning healthcare accessibility and resource utilization for congenital craniofacial
malformations.
Keywords : Geographic information system, Congenital craniofacial malformations, Tawanchai Center, Srinagarind Hospital
