Iranian Health Research Networks and Vision of Iran by 2025: A Case of Virtual Health Network in EMRI.

BACKGROUND: The present paper aims to explore the role of Health Research Networks (HRN) in facilitating and expedite achieving the prospects for goals of health research based on the visions of Iran by 2025. METHODS: Aiming to the main function of HSR to achieve the targeted conducting of health sciences research; more cooperation and coordination between health science researchers; avoid parallel investigations; and optimum utilization and appropriate distribution of resources, in 2000 the deputy of Research and Technology of Ministry of Health and Medical Education defined and developed a comprehensive HRN. RESULT: There are currently 27 research networks operating under the supervision of the Deputy of Research and Technology at MOHME. All of the HRN policies are following based on their strategic planning's which are extracted from national visions of Iran by 2025. CONCLUSION: Promoting the current position needs a reliable and feasible new strategies. The present article introduces the lessons learned of our experience in virtual web-based health research networking in Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Institute (EMRI).

Hepatitis B vaccination coverage among Iranian children aged 15-26 months in 2006

This study in 2006 estimated the hepatitis B virus [BHV] vaccination coverage in the Islamic Republic of Iran at the national and district levels in urban, rural and remote populations of 41 university health service areas. Of 21 905 children recruited to the study, vaccination coverage based on vaccination card records was 100% in 14,15 and 10 of the 41 university areas for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd doses of HBV respectively. National levels of HBV1, HBV2 and HBV3 coverage were 98.9%, 98.8% and 98.4% respectively. The lowest HBV vaccination coverage rate was 90.7% [in a remote district]. HBV vaccination coverage was at an acceptable level in Iranian children

Neural tube defects in native fars ethnicity in northern iran.

BACKGROUND: Neural tube defects (NTD) are one of the leading causes of infant mortality worldwide. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of NTDs among native Fars ethnic groups during 1998-2005, and to identify maternal and demographic factors associated with NTDs. METHODS: We performed a descriptive cross-sectional hospital-based study in Dezyani Hospital, Gorgan, North of Iran, since January 1998 until December 2005. The design was based on a sample of 30,639 births of native Fars ethnic groups. Data were analyzed by using spss V13.5 software and were compared with the chi-square test. RESULTS: The prevalence of NTDs in Native Fars during the 8-year period was 25.4 per 10000 births (95% confidence interval: 20.1-31.8). The prevalence of NTDs was 20.6/10000 and 30.6/10000 in males and females respectively but this difference was not significant. The prevalence of spina bifida, anencephaly and encephalocele were 12.7, 11.4 and 1.3 per 10000 respectively. The rate of NTD was 48.9/10000 in newborns with mothers aged > 35 years. The highest rate of NTDs and spina bifida was in 2002. The highest and lowest rate of anencephaly was in 2005 and 2003 respectively. Twenty eight percent of the parents had consanguineous marriages. Degree relatedness 3, 4, 5 and 6 of consanguineous marriages were 12.8%, 9%, 3.8%, 2.5%, respectively. Also 47.5% of the parents resided in rural areas. CONCLUSION: This investigation showed that the rate of NTDs in Native Fars was higher in Iran. In addition, this rate is higher than the Canada and Ukraine and lower than Chinese people.

Epidemiology of neural tube defects in northern Iran, 1998-2003

We determined the rates of neural tube defects at a referral hospital in Gorgan, north Islamic Republic of Iran, and the relations of these abnormalities to sex, maternal ethnicity, maternal age and season. During 1998-2003, there were 109 cases among 37 951 births, a prevalence of 28.7 per 10 000 [24.8 and 32.8 per 10 000 among males and females respectively]. The rates in Turkmen, native Fars and Sistani ethnic groups were 40.5, 25.2 and 30.8 per 10 000 respectively. The rates of spina bifida and anencephaly were 16.3 and 11.3 per 10 000 respectively. The rate of affected newborns was highest in mothers aged over 35 years [50.7 per 10 000]. The peak prevalence was in December