Epidemiology of leukemia and multiple myeloma in golestan, Iran

Background: The aim of this paper was to present the incidence rates of leukemia and multiple myeloma (MM) in Golestan province located in northeastern Iran during 2004-2009. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Data on newly diagnosed (incident) leukemia and MM cases were obtained from collected from Golestan population-based cancer registry. Data was entered into CanReg-4 software. Age standardized incidence rates (ASR) (per 100000 person-years) for leukemia and MM were calculated. Data on Golestan population was obtained from the data of Iranian national census in 2006. Results: Totally, 11036 new cancer cases were registered in GPRC from 2004-2009. Leukemia and MM accounted for 693 and 124 of cases, respectively. The mean age in patients with leukemia and MM was 43.8 and 62.4 years, respectively. The ASRs for leukemia among men and women were 10.4 and 7.8, respectively (p<0.001). The ASRs for MM were 2.1 and 2 in men and women, respectively (p=0.93). The rate of leukemia was significantly higher in rural areas (p=0.02) whereas the incidence of MM was higher in urban areas (p<0.001). Conclusions: Our results showed a high incidence rate of leukemia in Golestan province of Iran. The incidence of leukemia was significantly higher in males and residents of rural areas. High exposure to pesticides and other agricultural related products may be a possible explanation for epidemiological pattern of leukemia in this area. Determining and controlling important risk factors, especially environmental factors, of leukemia may lead to decrease in its burden in Golestan province of Iran

The trend of seat belt use among drivers in the north of Iran, 2007-2010: An epidemiologic study

Backgrounds and Objectives: Using seat belt has a considerable role in reducing human damage. The aim of this study was to compare trend of seat belt use rate during 4 years, from 2007 to 2010, in Golestan province (northern Iran). Materials and Methods: This was a population-based cross-sectional study that enrolled 3999 subjects aged 15-65 years during four years (2007 = 1000 cases, 2008 = 1000 cases, 2009 = 999 cases and 2010= 1000 cases) using stratified cluster sampling. Interviewers recorded the data using a multidimensional questionnaire including anthropometric indexes. Using seat belt in the case of sitting in the front seat of car (as a driver or passenger) of all samples was asked. SPSS 16.0 software was used for statistical data analysis. Results: The rate of seat belt use in the years 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 were 71%, 69.8%, 74.5 and 86.4%, respectively. Seat belt use during the four years increased up to 15.4%. Statistical differences among four years was significant (P<0.01). The increasing seat belt use rate was 19% and 14.9% in urban and rural areas, respectively. The seat belt use rate was higher in subjects with =35 years old people in proportion to 35= years old people (17.85% versus 14.3%). During the latest year of study, using seat belt was about 14.8% higher in men comparing with women (P<0.05). Conclusion: Using seat belt increased up to 3.9% per year and the trend in the rural areas was lower than in the urban areas. Seat belt used in men more than women. Using seat belt and its growing trend, will help in reducing mortality caused by accidents in Iran. © IDOSI Publications, 2012

Five-year trend in hydrogenated vegetable oil consumption among Northern Iranian families

Background: The main aim of this study was to assess the trends in hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) consumption and some related factors among northern Iranian families from 2006 to 2010. Methods: A cross-sectional, population-based study was conducted with 6497 subjects, 15 to 65 years old, who were chosen by multistage cluster random sampling. The subjects were randomly chosen by 325 clusters with an equal size (n = 20 subjects). A multidimensional questionnaire including so-ciodemographic questions and type of cooking oil used were administered by interviewers. Results: The percentages of the sample reporting HVO consumption across the 5 years are as follows: 2006,85.2%; 2007, 79.7%; 2008, 75.9%; 2009, 59.3%; and 2010, 55.7%. Consumption decreased 29.5% during the 5 years of study and an average of 5.9% per year (P < .05). The estimated odds ratio of HVO consumption in rural areas verus urban areas was 2.59 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.31-2.90); for poor compared with good economic level the odds ratio was 3.99 (95% CI, 3.13-5.10 for; for the uneducated versus college-educated sample it was 5.75 (95% CI, 4.10-8.17); and the odds ratio was 3.34(95% CI, 2.51-4.45) for Sisstani compared with Fars-native ethnic group. Conclusion: HVO consumption decreased during the 5-year study (2006 to 2010), but HVO is still used extensively in northern Iran. Preventive early intervention strategies are needed to target uneducated and poor families, with an emphasis on the Sisstanish ethnic group, to increase awareness about the negative consequences of HVO consumption

Influence of education in the prevalence of obesity in Iranian northern adults

Background: The main aim of this study was to evaluate whether prevalence of obesity in educational levels is different and some related factors in Iranian northern adults. Materials and methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study based on population and 2452 cases (1224 men and 1228 women) aged 15e65 years were chosen by cluster and stratify sampling. Subjects were randomly chosen from 125 clusters and each cluster included 20 cases. Interviewers recorded the data using a multidimensional questionnaire including socio-demographic indexes. Results: As a whole, the prevalence of obesity was seen in 24% of subjects (15.5% in male and 32.5% in female) and significantly was seen in 3.1% and 14.1% of uneducated people more than in 1e9 year schooling and in high school or college-educated people, respectively (P = 0.001). The risk of obesity was 2.294 (P = 0.001) in uneducated compared to high school or college-educated people, 1.668 (P = 0.001) in urban area compared to rural area, 2.619 (P = 0.001) in 40e65 year people compared to 15e40 year people, and 1.534 (P = 0.003) in good economic compared to poor economic groups. After adjusted for location area, gender, age, and economic stats, the risk of obesity was 2.044 (P = 0.001) in uneducated people compared to high school or college-educated subjects. Conclusion: The obesity as a health problem in Iranian northern adults supported in this study and it was negatively associated with educational levels. Public health programs that aim to reduce obesity should primarily focus on the illiterate and low-educated people. Copyright © 2013, SciBioIMed.Org, Published by Reed Elsevier India Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved

Differences in the prevalence of obesity among Fars-native, Turkman, and Sisstanish ethnic groups in Iranian northern adults in 2010

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences of obesity rate among three ethnic groups in northern adults in IR Iran in 2010. Methods: The present cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted on 2994 cases of the same age and sex in three ethnic proportions (Fars-native=1625, Turkman=977, and Sisstani=392). The subjects aged between 15 and 65 years old and were selected by multistage cluster sampling techniques including 150 clusters each containing 20 subjects in urban and rural areas in 11 districts in Golestan province (northern IR Iran). Obesity was defined after WHO classification by BMI (Body Mass Index) equal or over 30 kg/ m2. SPSS 16.0 software was used for statistical analysis and P value<0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: Mean±SD of BMI in Fars-native, Turkman, and Sisstanish ethnic groups was 26.72±5.56, 26.18±5.34, and 24.59±6.72 kg/m2, respectively. Averagely, obesity was common in 22.8% of the subjects and was significantly higher among the females compared to males (32.3% vs13.3%) (P=0.001). Also, its prevalence was estimated as 25%, 22.6%, and 14% in Fars-native, Turkman, and Sisstanish ethnic groups, respectively. Statistical differences were significant among the three ethnic groups (P=0.001). The risk of obesity was 2.041 [95% CI, 1.502-2.722] in Fars-native and 1.781 [95% CI, 1.298-2.472] in Turkman groups compared to Sisstanish ethnic group. Conclusions: Over one out of five adults in northern IR Iran suffer from obesity and an alarming rate was shown among the women. Among the three ethnic groups, the highest and the lowest rates were seen in Fars-native and Sisstanish ethnic groups, respectively. Variation of obesity among the three ethnic groups should be studied in future studies

Determinants of healthcare utilisation and predictors of outcome in colorectal cancer patients from Northern Iran

We aimed to assess healthcare utilisation (HU), its determinants, as well as its relationship with survival in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. This study was conducted on incident CRC cases from Northern Iran. Information on HU was collected using a valid questionnaire, considering eight diagnostic and four therapeutic services. The results were categorised as good and poor HU. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between HU and other variables. Cox regression analysis was performed to determine major predictors of survival. In total, 227 new cases of CRC were enrolled. HU could be assessed in 218 subjects (96). Living in rural areas was the strongest variable related to poor HU (adjusted OR, odds ratio=2.65; CI, confidence interval: 1.30-5.40). The median survival time was 40.5months. The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 71, 52 and 44 respectively. Cox regression analysis showed a significant lower survival rate in patients with poor HU (HR=2.3; CI: 1.46-3.64). HU was an independent predictor of survival in our CRC patients. Patients' place of residence was a significant determinant of HU. Regarding its effects on patients' outcome, HU and its determinants should be considered in designing CRC controlling programmes in our region and similar high-risk populations. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Cancer incidence in Golestan province: Report of an ongoing population-based cancer registry in Iran between 2004 and 2008

Background: Golestan Province, at the western end of the Asian esophageal cancer (EC) belt in northeastern Iran, was reported to have one of the highest worldwide rates of EC in the 1970s. We have previously shown a declining incidence of EC in Golestan during the last decades. This study reports additional new results from the Golestan Population-based Cancer Registry (GPCR). Methods: The GPCR collected data from newly diagnosed (incident) cancer cases from all 68 public and private diagnostic and therapeutic centers in Golestan Province. CanReg-4 software was used for data entry and analysis based on the guidelines of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Age-standardized incidence rates (ASR) of cancers were calculated using the 2000 world standard population. Results: From 2004 through 2008, 9007 new cancer cases were reported to the GPCR. The mean (SD) age was 55.5 (18.6) years, and 54 were diagnosed in men. The ASRs of all cancers were 175.3 and 141.1 per 100,000 person-years for males and females, respectively. Cancers of the stomach (ASR:30.7), esophagus (24.3), and lung (15.4) were the most common cancers in males. In females, breast cancer (ASR:26.9) was followed by malignancies of the esophagus (19.1) and stomach (12.4). The diagnosis of cancer was based on histopatho- logical reports in 71 and on death certificate only in 9 ofcases. Conclusions: The EC incidence rate continues to decline in Golestan, while the incidence rates of stomach, colorectal, and breast cancers continue to increase

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the north of Iran. An epidemiologic comparative study

Background and Objective: The metabolic syndrome (MetS) increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and the main aim of this study is to explorer prevalence of it in the north of Iran with comparison of Turkman and non-Turkman ethnic groups in 2012. Material and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that conducted on the 248 subjects aged 25-70 years (Turkman=88 and non-Turkman=160). Individuals were chosen randomly from 25 clusters. Waist circumference was measured with the subject standing at the end of normal breathing; blood pressure was measured in three times and 5 ml of venous blood drawn after 8-12 h fast in the morning for laboratory test. Biochemical analysis including fasting blood glucose, triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was assayed using a commercially kit (Pars Azmoon, Karaj, Iran). ATP-III method and SPSS 16.0 software (Chicago II, USA) were used for diagnosis of MetS and for statistical analyzes, respectively. P-value < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Compare to Turkman group, the mean of FBG (fasting blood glucose), triglyceride and waist circumference are 15.9 mg/dl, 30.2 mg/dl and 6.5 cm were more in non-Turkman group, respectively (P<0.05 for all). The Pearson's correlation coefficient is positive between age and MetS (r=0.287, P=0.01). Generally, MetS was common in 37.9 of subjects and it was 14.7 in non-Turkman more than in Turkman people (P=0.015). Prevalence rate of MetS in men and women was 29.7 and 43.5, respectively (P=0.001). Conclusion: In the north of Iran, the prevalence of MetS is high and it was in non-Turkman ethnic group more than in Turkman group and in women more than in men while gender differences only was shown in non-Turkman ethnic group

Epidemiology of female reproductive cancers in Iran: Results of the gholestan population-based cancer registry

Background: Malignancies of the female reproductive tract are estimated to be the third most common group of cancers in women. Objectives: We here aimed to present their epidemiological features in Golestan provincelocated in Northeast of Iran. Materials and Methods: Data on primary female reproductive cancers diagnosed between 2004-2010 were obtained from Golestan Population-based Cancer Registry (GPCR). CanReg-4 and SPSS software were used for data entry and analysis. Age standardized incidence rates (ASR) (per 100,000 person-years) were calculated using the world standard population. Poisson regression analysis was used to compare incidence rates. P-values of less than 0.05 were considered as significant. Results: A total of 6,064 cancer cases were registered in Golestan females in the GPCR during 2004-2010, of which 652 cases (11%) were female reproductive cancers. Cancers of the ovary (ASR=6.03) and cervix (ASR=4.97) were the most common. We found significant higher rates in females living in cities than in villages. Our results showed a rapid increase in age specific incidence rates of female reproductive cancers at the age of 30 years. Conclusions: We found significant higher rates of female reproductive cancers among residents of cities than villages. Differences in the prevalence of risk factors including reproductive behavior between the two populations may partly explain such diversity. Our results also showed a rapid increase in incidence rates of these cancers in young age females. Further studies are warranted to determine risk factors of female reproductive cancers in our population