title: Mediterranean studies of cardiovascular disease and hyperglycemia: analytical modeling of population socio-economic transitions (MedCHAMPS)--rationale and methods.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In response to the escalating epidemic of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the Mediterranean Region (MR), an international collaboration aiming at understanding the burden of CVD and evaluating cost-effective strategies to combat it was recently established. This paper describes the rationale and methods of the project MedCHAMPS to disseminate this successful experience.
  
  
  METHODS
  The framework of MedCHAMPS is exceptional in combining multiple disciplines (e.g. epidemiology, anthropology, economics), countries [Turkey, Syria, occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), Tunisia, UK, Ireland], research methods (situational and policy analysis, quantitative and qualitative studies, statistical modeling), and involving local stakeholders at all levels to assess trends of CVD/diabetes in the society and attributes of the local health care systems to provide optimal policy recommendations to reduce the burden of CVD/diabetes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MedCHAMPS provides policy makers in the MR and beyond needed guidance about the burden of CVD, and best cost-effective ways to combat it. Our approach of building developed-developing countries collaboration also provides a roadmap for other researchers seeking to build research base into CVD epidemiology and prevention in developing countries.
authors.affiliation: Syrian Center for Tobacco Studies, Aleppo, Syria. wmaziak@fiu.edu
authors.forename: Wasim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Maziak
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Critchley
authors.forename: Shahaduz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zaman
authors.forename: Nigel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Unwin
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Capewell
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: Belgin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Unal
authors.forename: Abdullatif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Husseini
authors.forename: Habiba Ben
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Romdhane
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Phillimore
mesh_terms: D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics; D019049:Developed Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D019083:Mediterranean Region / Q000453:epidemiology; D015233:Models, Statistical; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013593:Syria / Q000453:epidemiology; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology