Prevalence study of clinical disorders in 6-year-old children across Iranian provinces: Findings of Iranian national health assessment survey

Objective: To assess the national prevalence of clinical disorders in 6-year-old Iranian children before school entry using a national health assessment survey. Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional nationwide survey, all Iranian children entering public and private elementary schools were asked to participate in a mandatory national screening program in Iran in 2009 in two levels of screening and diagnostic levels. Results: The study population consisted of 955388 children (48.5% girls and 76.1% urban). Of the whole children, 3.1% of the 6-year-old children had impaired vision. In addition, 1.2, 1.8, 1.4, 10, 10.9, 56.7, 0.7, 0.8 and 0.6% had color blindness, hearing impaired, speech disorder, height to age retardation, body mass index extremes, decayed teeth, having disease with special needs, spinal disorders, and hypertension, respectively. The distribution of these disorders was unequally distributed across provinces. Conclusions: Our results confirmed that the prevalence of clinical disorders among 6-year-old children across Iranian provinces was not similar. The observed burden of these distributions among young children needs a comprehensive national policy with evidence-based province programs to identify the reason for different distribution among provinces

Mortality inequality in 1-59 months children across Iranian provinces: National Hospital Medical Records System

Objective: To determine inequality in mortality in 1-59 months children across Iranian provinces using hospital medical records system. Methodology: After designing and examining a national questionnaire in hospitals for mortality data collection of children 1-59 months, 40 Medical Universities were asked to fill in the questionnaires and return to the main researcher in the health ministry in 2009. Results: Mortality in 1-59 months children was unequally distributed across Iranian hospitals. Cough, drowsiness, and eating and drinking problem were the most important reasons of hospitalization in both genders. There were significant differences between boys and girls in vomiting (p=0.005), drowsiness (p=0.024), and bleeding (p=0.004). Most of the patients had very bad and not suitable situation at entrance (p=0.211). There was a significant difference between two sexes in vaccination (p=0.019). There was no significant difference between boys and girls on first weight in hospital, last weight, breaths per minute, and pulse rate per minute (p > 0.05). The first five most important diagnosis were congenital, accident (girls) pulmonary (boys), cardiovascular, CNS and metabolic diseases. Conclusions: Our results suggest that inequality in 1-59 months mortality based on hospital medical records system needs more attention in Iran as a whole and in most of its provinces by policy-makers. Investigating why inequality is higher in some provinces deserves special attention. In addition, it is advisable to conduct provincial representative surveys to provide recent estimates of heath inequalities and to allow monitoring over time

Growth Disorders Among 6-Year-Old Iranian Children

Background: Sociodemographic factors are important determinants of weight disorders. National representative studies provide a view on this health problem at national and regional levels. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the distribution of growth disorders in terms of body mass index (BMI) and height in 6-year-old Iranian children using geographical information system (GIS). Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional nationwide survey, all Iranian children entering public and private elementary schools were examined in a mandatory national screening program in 2009. Descriptive analysis was used to calculate the prevalence of underweight, overweight, obesity, and short stature. Then, ArcGIS software was used to draw the figures. Results: The study population consisted of 955388 children (48.5% girls and 76.5% urban). Overall, 20% of children were underweight, and 14.3% had high BMI, consisted of 10.9% overweight and 3.4% obese. The corresponding figure for short stature was 6.6%; however, these growth disorders were not equally distributed across various provinces. Conclusions: Our results confirmed unequal distribution of BMI and height of 6-year-old children in Iran generally and in most of its provinces particularly. The differences among provinces cannot be fully explained by the socioeconomic pattern. These findings necessitate a comprehensive national policy with provincial evidence-based programs

Using Intervention Mapping Approach to Finding Socio-Cognitive Determinants of Diabetes Preventive Behaviors

Introduction: Diabetes is the most common chronic disease with complications. The objective of this study was to determine socio-cognitive determinants of diabetes preventive behaviors among sample of at risk group based on intervention mapping approach (IM) in Kermanshah, the west of Iran.Methods: In this cross-sectional study which conducted among a total of 200 male and female aged 30 years old and more, who referred to health centers, during 2018 that randomly selected to participate voluntarily. Participants filled out a self-report questionnaire. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 16 using bivariate correlations and linear regression at 95% significant level.Results: The mean age of respondents was 38.4 years [95% CI: 37.3, 39.4], ranged from 30 to 56 years. Socio-cognitive determinants were accounted for 40% of the variation in diabetes prevention behaviors F= 35.559, P< 0.001. As well as, perceived self-efficacy, perceived severity, and perceived barrier were the most influential predictors on diabetes preventive behaviors.Conclusions: Based on findings, it seems that planning health promotion programs to reduce barrier to perform diabetes preventive behaviors and increase confidence towards ability to perform preventive behaviors, and seriousness about sides effect of diabetes may be usefulness of the results in order to promotion of diabetes preventive behaviors among at risk group

Analysis of Cancer Incidence and Mortality in Iran Using Joinpoint Regression Analysis

Background: It is important to be able to predict cancer incidence and mortality rates for planning and managing the risk factors. Objectives: The present study investigated the changes in the incidence and mortality rates of five most common cancers in Iran. Methods: The cancer incidence and mortality data were obtained from the national cancer and mortality registries. Five most common cancers in bothmenandwomenwere selected. Changes in the incidence and mortality rates of the selected cancers in both sexes were estimated by age group, annual percent change (APC), and average APC (AAPC) and then graphically displayed. Results: The most common cancers (except skin cancer) were breast, colorectal, stomach, esophageal, and thyroid cancers in women and stomach, prostate, bladder, colorectal, and esophageal cancers in men, respectively. The AAPCs of all cancer incidence rates had increased by 11.9% in men and 11.6% in women from 2002 to 2010. Also, the mortality rates had enhanced by 0.4% and 0.1% per year in men and women from 2006 to 2011, respectively. The greatest APC was reported in prostate cancer. The rate had increased by 41.9% from 2002 to 2004, by 13.4% from 2004 to 2008, and slowly augmented by 3.9% from 2008 to 2010. In women, the greatest APC was observed in colorectal cancer; the rate had enhanced by 13.4% per year from 2002 to 2010. The greatest increase for age-standardized mortality and incidence in 2011 was attributed to gastric cancer (12.5% and 17.1% per 100,000 men, respectively). In women, the highest age-standardized mortality rate was related to gastric cancer at 6.9% per 100,000 women. The incidence and mortality patterns of colorectal and esophageal cancers in men and women were similar, although they were slightly higher in men than women. Conclusions: Overall, cancer incidence rates had increased in both sexes. Manyfactors were responsible, such as changes in lifestyle, environmental factors, increased life expectancy, improvements in the registration systems, and declining mortality rates due to early detection and treatment. The results of this study provided useful information for the prediction of changes in the incidence and mortality of cancer and subsequent design of cancer control programs in Iran. Keywords: Neoplasm, Incidence, Mortality, Trends, Joinpoint Regression, Ira