Shayesteh Hajizadeh1, Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi2, Maziar Moradi-Lakeh3, Alireza Khajavi4, Farahnaz Farzadfar5, Elham Zandian4, Owais Raza4, Fahimeh R Tehrani6, Farshad Farzadfar4. 1. Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, Department of Midwifery and Reproductive health, Nursing and Midwifery School, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. f-farzadfar@tums.ac.ir, frtehrani@yahoo.com. 2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 3. Community Medicine Department, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 4. Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 5. Social and Epidemiological Research (SER) Department, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada. 6. Reproductive Endocrinology Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: It is widely accepted that maternal mortality is a proxy for maternal health status. Maternal deaths only represent the top of the iceberg; morbidity due to maternal causes apart from maternal mortality, poses a huge burden on women's families. There is an excessive need to widen the research on maternal morbidity. Here, we explain the framework of our study on maternal conditions and their burden in Iran as a part of the National and Sub-national Burden of Diseases (NASBOD) study. METHODS: A systematic search will be carried out for both published and unpublished data on maternal mortality and morbidity reported between 1985 and 2013. Data collected through systematic review and those obtained from national and sub-national surveys will be extracted in a data set. Two statistical models will be applied: Bayesian Autoregressive Multi-level models and Spatio-Temporal Regression models. Models will be used to overcome the problem of data gaps across provinces, years and age groups. DISCUSSION: In order to control and manage maternal conditions and to make more efficient and cost-effective policies, there is an excessive need for data on the burden of such diseases. There are a few sub-national analyses of the burden of disease. In the current study, burden of maternal conditions will be assessed at national and sub-national levels in Iran between 1990 and 2013. The results of this study are undoubtedly required to provide comprehensive information at the national and provincial levels to administer interventions more effectively, since the priority based policies need regional assessments and comparisons.
BACKGROUND: It is widely accepted that maternal mortality is a proxy for maternal health status. Maternal deaths only represent the top of the iceberg; morbidity due to maternal causes apart from maternal mortality, poses a huge burden on women's families. There is an excessive need to widen the research on maternal morbidity. Here, we explain the framework of our study on maternal conditions and their burden in Iran as a part of the National and Sub-national Burden of Diseases (NASBOD) study. METHODS: A systematic search will be carried out for both published and unpublished data on maternal mortality and morbidity reported between 1985 and 2013. Data collected through systematic review and those obtained from national and sub-national surveys will be extracted in a data set. Two statistical models will be applied: Bayesian Autoregressive Multi-level models and Spatio-Temporal Regression models. Models will be used to overcome the problem of data gaps across provinces, years and age groups. DISCUSSION: In order to control and manage maternal conditions and to make more efficient and cost-effective policies, there is an excessive need for data on the burden of such diseases. There are a few sub-national analyses of the burden of disease. In the current study, burden of maternal conditions will be assessed at national and sub-national levels in Iran between 1990 and 2013. The results of this study are undoubtedly required to provide comprehensive information at the national and provincial levels to administer interventions more effectively, since the priority based policies need regional assessments and comparisons.