[ prevalence of goiter and urinary iodine excretion in school-aged children of ChaharMahal and Bakhtyari]

The province of Charmahal and Bakhtiari was one of the first regions with endemic goiter in Iran. Following initiation of the program of control of iodine deficiency in 1989, production, distribution and consumption of iodized salt were begun. Goal This survey was conducted within the framework of the 2001 national monitoring survey to find the prevalence of goiter and urinary iodine level in order and to evaluate the iodine status of school aged children in Charmahal and Bakhtiari. 1200 schoolchildren, aged 7-10 years, were selected randomly from all regions of Charmahal and Bakhtiari, and the grade of goiter, in 600 boys and 600 girls, was determined according to WHO classification. Urinary iodine content was estimated using the digestion method in one tenth of the schoolchildren. Total goiter rate was 18.4%, 15.4% in girls and 21.4% in boys. Median urinary iodine was 17 micro g/dl. Urinary iodine was above 10 g/dl in 80.9% and less than 5 micro g/dl in 2.5%, no one had urinary iodine below 2 micro g/dl. It is concluded that the rate of goiter in Charmahal and Bakhtiari has decreased significantly since 1996 and urinary iodine levels in schoolchildren are indicative of adequate iodine intake. The charmahal and Bakhtiari province therefore can hence be considered a "iodine deficiency free" zone

[Study of the general mental health status in an area of Tehran: Tehran lipid and glucose study [TLGS]]

There are significant correlations between the mental health status of individuals and non-communicable mental or physical diseases. Epidemiological data regarding mental health indices plays an important part in the planning and designing of mental health programs. This study was conducted to evaluate the general mental health status of inhabitants in an area of Tehran as part of the TLGS. Materials and Method: In this cross-sectional study, 927 residents [20 years and older] of a specific area were randomly selected. Subjects completed the demographic data forms alongwith the General Health Questionnaires [GHQ], validated for the Iranian population. A cut off of 6 and above was used as threshold to identify the group suspected of having psychiatric disorders. To compare the scores of total GHQ and subscales between different demographic variables, the Chi square, Mann whitney and Kruskal wallis test were used. Logistic regression was used to identify variables related to the group that scored above threshold. The total sample studied consisted of 927 adults, of whom 401 [43.3%] were males and 526 [56.7%] females. Among them 489 [52.8%] were suspected of having psychiatric disorders. Mean score of total GHQ was 7.0 +/- 5.4 and regarding the subscales of the questionnaire including physical symptoms, anxiety and sleep disorders, social dysfunction and depression, mean scores were 1.2 +/- 1.7, 1.7 +/- 2.0, 3.4 +/- 2.0, 0.75 +/- 1.4 respectively and the median of mentioned subscales were 0, 1, 3 and 0 respectively. Frequency of women suspected of mental disorders was significantly higher than that of men [59.7% vs. 43.6%, p<0.001]. Taking into consideration the sample group and the method of gathering data, the frequency of those suspected of having psychiatric disorders in our study was higher as compared to other studies. Since mental health plays an important role in health promotion and community development, as well as the financial and psychological burden of illnesses, inplementation of policies in regard to implementation of related programs for prevention especially in women, seems vital

Screening for congenital hypothyroidism in the Islamic Republic of Iran: strategies, obstacles and future perspectives

The operational feasibility of a congenital hypothyroidism [CH] screening programme was assessed. Cord blood spot specimens were collected at seven Teheran hospitals and within the Damavand District health network. Cord thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH] levels > or = 20 mU/L were recalled and levothyroxine [L-T4] therapy was started immediately after diagnosis of CH. Of 20,107 acceptable specimens, 22 neonates had CH [1:914 births]. The recall rate was 1.3%. Screening coverage was 90% of live births. Of all cord samples, only 0.2% were unacceptable either because of delay in transportation or improper specimen collection. Median ages at the time of diagnosis and starting treatment were 12 and 8 days respectively. Screening for CH is feasible and a national screening programme is a necessity