Burden of obstructive lung disease study in tehran: research design and lung spirometry protocol

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Respiratory Medicine

Background:

• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) represent a major global health burden, projected to be the fifth leading cause of disease and third leading cause of mortality by 2020.
• Research into COPD is a priority for academic and governmental bodies.
• The Burden of Lung Disease (BOLD) Initiative developed models to estimate COPD prevalence and economic impact.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of COPD in Tehran.
• To identify the causes and risk factors associated with COPD in the Tehran population.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study employing a stratified cluster sampling strategy with proportional allocation.
• The study targets noninstitutionalized inhabitants of Tehran, divided into age groups 18-40 and over 40.
• Sampling is stratified by Tehran's 22 municipal districts, with systematic enumeration of households within selected clusters.

Main Results:

• As this is a study protocol, no results are presented.
• The primary aim is to share the research design with the scientific community.

Conclusions:

• The expected findings from the BOLD study in Tehran will elucidate the current status of COPD.
• The study aims to provide insights into the community's causes and risk factors for COPD.