Epidemiological characteristics and spatiotemporal clustering of foodborne diseases in Liaoning Province from 2014 to 2023

ObjectiveTo understand the epidemiological characteristics of foodborne diseases in Liaoning province and provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of related diseases. MethodsEpidemiological analysis was conducted on foodborne disease surveillance data from 2014 to 2023 in Liaoning province. Spatial autocorrelation and spatiotemporal analyses were used to explore the temporal and spatial clustering of cases. ResultsFrom 2014 to 2023, a total of 208 455 cases of foodborne diseases were reported in Liaoning province, with an incidence rate of 48.94/100 000 population and a hospitalization rate of 9.58%. Foodborne diseases were most prevalent from June to September. Dalian city and Shenyang city reported the highest number of cases, with 39 073 and 33 720 cases, respectively. The male-to-female ratio of reported cases was approximately 1 : 1.05. The 25–44 age group had the highest number of reported cases (65 679 cases, accounting for 31.51%), while the 0-year age group had the highest incidence rate (164.12/100 000 population). Spatial autocorrelation analysis showed that the global Moran′s I index of foodborne diseases in Liaoning province was 0.163 6, indicating significant regional aggregation. Spatiotemporal scanning with a monthly cycle identified four clusters centered in Dandong city, Dalian city, Shenyang city, and Fuxin city, respectively. ConclusionsFoodborne diseases in Liaoning province are prevalent in summer, and cases are mainly concentrated in coastal areas and areas with high population density, exhibiting significant spatiotemporal clustering. Targeted health education and strengthened supervision are recommended to reduce the number of cases in key areas and during key months.