Based on the STEPS methodology of the World Health Organization (WHO), from May 2017 to March 2018, a study was conducted on the risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Azerbaijan. Data was collected over two months from 24 August 2017 to 24 October 2017.
In total, 2880 households from 240 clusters in 9 economic zones of Azerbaijan were scheduled by the State Statistics Committee to participate in the survey, conducted with the approval of the Ministry of Health and with the support of WHO.
Field research was carried out in the cities of Baku, Sumgayit and Khyzy district.
In other regions of the country (Ganja-Gazakh, Sheki-Zagatala, Lankaran, Guba-Khachmaz, Aran, Upper-Karabakh, Mountainous Shirvan), the working group of the Public Health and Reforms Center (PHRC) of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan conducted field work with the participation of specially trained for this study specialists.
The response rate was 97.3% (2801 respondents).
Within the survey, a group of interviewers, consisting of 10 groups (1 doctor and 1 nurse in each group), asked the population about socio-demographic indicators, nutrition, consumption of alcohol and tobacco products, as well as physical activities, among which they identified NCD risk factors. During the survey, the physical parameters of the participants were determined (height, weight, circumference of the abdomen and gluteal region, indicators of blood pressure and pulse). Then, biochemical samples, a blood sample (to study the amount of sugar and lipids in the blood) and a urine sample (to study the amount of sodium and creatinine in the urine) were taken from the respondents for analysis. All analyzes were performed using laboratory equipment provided by WHO. These 60 interviews, received daily at the questionnaire stage, were immediately uploaded to the electronic database using tablets and tracked online by survey observers.
In order to improve medical service and protect the population health, this study was conducted regularly in accordance with the "Action Plan of the Ministry of Health for the implementation of the Strategy for 2015-2020" on the fight against non-communicable diseases in the Republic of Azerbaijan», approved by Order of the Ministry of Health No. 16 of 07.03.2016.
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