Iranian Journal of

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Background & Objectives: Non-Communicable disease (NCD) is a main group of diseases which are responsible for a large proportion of the Global Burden of Disease around the world. Although disparities in the NCDs' risk factors can affect the goals of health for all, less attention has been paid so far on this topic. In this study, we investigated socio-economic inequality in the NCDs’ risk factors and evaluated the causes affecting on this inequality in Shahroud, Iran.
Methods: Conducting this survey, we used surveillance data for NCD of 1000 individuals who lived in Shahroud district during 2005. We determine a socio-economic variable which explained social and economic status of the people using Principal Component Analysis. We then evaluated each NCD risk factors at different levels of the socio-economic variable and calculated concentration index for the risk factors. The causes of the inequality were described by decomposition analysis of the concentration indices.
Results: Concentration indices for hypertension, smoking, insufficient physical activity, and unhealthy diet were -0.141, -0.191, -0.046 and -0.091, respectively. Differences of concentration curves of the risk factors from the line of equality were significant but not for diabetes, obesity and high blood cholestrol. Age, being a government employee, being unmarried, living in rural area and low economic status were the most important factors which influence on these inequalities.
Conclusion: Inequality in some NCD risk factors was significant in Shahroud district. More investigations with larger sample size and more appropriate variables to measure socioeconomic status are recommended.

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Background & Objectives: Urinary calculi are a common problem worldwide. The pattern of fluid consumption in healthy people and patients with renal calculi is not totally clear. The aim of this study was to determine the association between the amount of fluids intake and urinary calculi.

Methods: In this case-control study, cases were the patients with urinary calculi admitted to Emam-Hossein Hospital, Shahroud, Iran. The controls were selected among the patients admitted to other wards of the hospital except for dialysis and ICU wards. The association between independent variables and urinary calculi was investigated using logistic regression analysis.

Results: A total of 127 people (60 cases and 67 controls) participated in this study. The mean age of the participants was 44.6 years (SD = 1.7). The mean intake of tea, natural juice, alcohol free beer, and total fluid intake were higher in cases compare to controls. In participants with a negative history of urinary calculi, the total intake of fluid (P=0.021) and natural juice (P=0.006) was higher in cases. The male gender (OR=3.2), higher BMI (OR=1.2), and a positive family history of urinary calculi (OR=3.5) were associated with renal calculi in a multivariate logistic regression model, while the milk intake (OR=0.995) was a protective factor in this model.

Conclusion: Milk intake is a protective factor and the male gender, higher BMI and a positive family history are the risk factors for urinary calculi.