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Monitoring of congenital anomalies in developing countries: a pilot model in Iran
Saeed Dastgiri1, Yaghoub Sheikhzadeh, Ali Dastgiri
1Department of Community and Family Medicine, National Public Management Centre (NPMC), Tabriz, Iran. saeed.dastgiri@gmail.com
Insights
This project establishes a congenital anomalies monitoring system in Northwest Iran to aid prevention and control efforts. The system provides crucial epidemiological data for public health interventions and planning.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Genetics
Background:
- Congenital anomalies pose a significant public health challenge globally.
- Establishing regional monitoring systems is crucial for understanding disease patterns and implementing targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a congenital anomalies monitoring system in Northwest Iran.
- To implement control and preventive strategies for congenital anomalies in the region.
Main Methods:
- Monitoring approximately 15,000 births annually in a defined area.
- Classifying congenital anomalies using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) coding system.
Main Results:
- The program analyzes rates and patterns of congenital anomalies to identify potential local causes.
- It serves as a pilot model for community-level epidemiology, prevention, and control of congenital anomalies.
Conclusions:
- The monitoring system provides essential epidemiological data for researchers, health planners, clinicians, and genetic counselors.
- Findings can inform regional interventions to prevent and control congenital anomalies in the study population and similar areas.
Aims:
This is an ongoing project aiming to establish a monitoring system of congenital anomalies in the Northwest of Iran, and to implement control and preventive tasks in the region.
Methods:
Our program covers about 15 000 births (average per year) in a defined area with about 350 cases (average per year) of congenital anomalies born in the region. The definition of the congenital anomalies is based on the standard coding system of the International Classification of Diseases according to the primary diagnosis of anomaly.
Results:
The program examines the rates and patterns of various types of congenital anomalies and looks for possible local causes and influencing factors in the population. This monitoring program provides a pilot model into the epidemiology and potential for prevention and control of congenital anomalies in the community level. Evaluation procedures are essential part of our program to monitor the effects of preventive services for congenital anomalies in order to identify and correct shortcomings.
Conclusion:
Our program provides some essential data as an epidemiological tool for local investigators, information for health service planners, clinicians and for genetic counselors. It may also help to identify regional interventions that could help to prevent and control congenital anomalies in the study population and similar areas.
