What Is STEPs
In the 2016 Stepwise Approach to Non-Communicable Risk Factors Surveillance (STEPs) survey in Iran, the mean and prevalence of non-communicable risk factors have been estimated in province level. However, the mean and prevalence of risk factors of the non-communicable diseases are not equally distributed among districts in each province. The district level data can be considered to determine priority setting and public health policy. So, in the 429 districts of Iran, non-communicable risk factors were estimated by small area estimation using bayesian spatial mixed-effect regression model. The input data for small area estimation have been achieved from the STEPs 2016 survey in Iran and age-standardized and all-ages estimates were obtained by sex in each district.
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT
To determine the prevalence of major preventable risk factors of non-communicable diseases in Iran (including: smoking, poor nutrition, low physical activity, high blood pressure, overweight and obesity, high blood glucose, and high blood lipids) by age and sex groups
To determine the trend of major preventable risk factors of non-communicable diseases in Iran by age and sex groups based on data generated from the annual studies
Samples under study: 31000 subjects
SPECIFICATIONS OF STEPS 2016
Proportional to sample size
Systematic random sampling
Possibility of determining the risk factor map in megacities
Fully digitalized study
Observing all activities at peripheral level through the management panel
Participation of administrative teams in the online exam
Determining the times and places of interviews via GPS
Eradicating of errors in individual registration by using the “National ID Card No.” in the datasets
All Lab exams were conducted by unique brands of devices and kits
HbA1c Test on all samples
ALT test on all samples
Urine-Na test on all samples
24h Urine Sample (PABA) on sub-samples
Specific procedure for transporting samples from all around the country
Quality control for supervision of the accuracy of data
Unique brands of all sphygmomanometers, scales, lab tubes, SIM cards, and other equipment
Designing special educational films for interviewers and lab experts