Author/Authors :
Eghtesad, Sareh Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran , Mohammadi, Zahra Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran , Shayanrad, Amaneh Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran , Faramarzi, Elnaz Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz , Joukar, Farahnaz Razi Hospital - Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht , Hamzeh, Behrooz School of Public Health - Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah , Farjam, Mojtaba Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa , Zare Sakhvidi, Mohammad Javad Department of Occupational Health - School of Public Health - Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd , Miri-Monjar, Mohammadreza Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan , Moosazadeh, Mahmood Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Sari , Hakimi, Hamid Department of Cardiology - Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan , Rahimi Kazerooni, Salar Department of Epidemiology - School of Health - Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz , Cheraghian, Bahman Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology - School of Public Health - Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz , Ahmadi, Ali Shahrekord University Medical of Sciences, Shahrekord , Nejatizadeh, Azim Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas , Mohebbi, Iraj Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia , Pourfarzi, Farhad Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran , Roozafzai, Farzin Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran , Motamed-Gorji, Nazgol Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran , Montazeri, Ali Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran , Masoudi, Sahar Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran , Amin-Esmaeili, Masoumeh Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran , Danaie, Navid Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan , Mirhafez, Reza Department of Basic Medical Sciences - Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur , Hashemi, Hasan Farabi Eye Hospital - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran , Poustchi, Hossein Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran , Malekzadeh, Reza Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran
Abstract :
In the past, communicable diseases caused the highest mortality in Iran. Improvements in socioeconomic status and living standards including access to safe drinking water, along with the inception of Health Houses in the 1980s, have changed disease patterns, decreasing the spread of and deaths from infectious and communicable diseases. The incidence and prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCD), however, have now increased in Iran, accounting for nearly 80% of deaths and disabilities. Without interventions, NCD are predicted to impose a substantial human and economic burden in the next 2 decades. However, Iran’s health system is not equipped with the necessary policies to combat this growth and must refocus and reform. Therefore, in the year 2013, the Ministry of Health and Medical Education funded a well-designed nationwide cohort study—Prospective Epidemiological Research Studies in IrAN (PERSIAN)—in order to assess the burden of NCD and investigate the risk factors associated with them in the different ethnicities and geographical areas of Iran. The PERSIAN Cohort, which aims to include 200 000 participants, has 4 components: Adult (main), Birth, Youth and Elderly, which are being carried out in 22 different regions of Iran. Having an enormous dataset along with a biobank of blood, urine, hair and nail samples, the PERSIAN Cohort will serve as an important infrastructure for future implementation research and will provide the evidence needed for new healthcare policies in order to better control, manage and prevent NCD.
