title: Cohort profile: the Amirkola Health and Ageing Project (AHAP).
abstract: This is the first comprehensive cohort study of the health of older people ever conducted in Iran. The aim of this project is to investigate the health status of older people in Amirkola in the northern part of Iran, near the Caspian Sea. The Amirkola Health and Ageing Project (AHAP) is mainly concerned with geriatric medical problems, such as falling, bone fragility and fractures, cognitive impairment and dementia, poor mobility and functional dependence. It is planned that all participants will be re-examined after 2 years. Data are collected via questionnaire, examinations and venepuncture. AHAP started in April 2011 and 1616 participants had been seen by 18 July 2012, the end of the baseline stage of this study. The participation rate was 72.3%. The prevalence of self-reported hypertension (41.2%) and diabetes mellitus (23.3%) are high. Only 14.4% of older people considered their health as excellent or good in comparison with others at this age. The prevalence of osteoporosis (T score≤-2.5) was 57.4% in women and 16.1% in men, and 38.2 % of older people were vitamin D deficient (<20 ng/ml). Researchers interested in using the information are invited to contact the principal investigator Seyed Reza Hosseini (hosseinim46@yahoo.com).
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Department of Psychiatry, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Radiology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Internal Medicine, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Ophthalmology, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Physiotherapy, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Ophthalmology, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Babol, University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran and Department of Community Medicine, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran hosseinim46@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Seyed Reza
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Hosseini
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Department of Psychiatry, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Radiology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Internal Medicine, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Ophthalmology, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Physiotherapy, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Ophthalmology, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Babol, University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran and Department of Community Medicine, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Cumming
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Department of Psychiatry, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Radiology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Internal Medicine, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Ophthalmology, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Physiotherapy, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Ophthalmology, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Babol, University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran and Department of Community Medicine, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: Farzan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kheirkhah
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Department of Psychiatry, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Radiology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Internal Medicine, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Ophthalmology, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Physiotherapy, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Ophthalmology, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Babol, University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran and Department of Community Medicine, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: Hajighorban
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nooreddini
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Department of Psychiatry, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Radiology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Internal Medicine, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Ophthalmology, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Physiotherapy, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Ophthalmology, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Babol, University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran and Department of Community Medicine, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammadali
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baiani
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Department of Psychiatry, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Radiology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Internal Medicine, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Ophthalmology, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Physiotherapy, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Ophthalmology, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Babol, University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran and Department of Community Medicine, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: Ebrahim
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mikaniki
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Department of Psychiatry, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Radiology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Internal Medicine, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Ophthalmology, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Physiotherapy, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Ophthalmology, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Babol, University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran and Department of Community Medicine, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taghipour-darzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Department of Psychiatry, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Radiology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Internal Medicine, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Ophthalmology, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Physiotherapy, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Ophthalmology, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Babol, University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran and Department of Community Medicine, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: Haleh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akhavan Niaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Department of Psychiatry, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Radiology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Internal Medicine, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Ophthalmology, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Physiotherapy, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Ophthalmology, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Babol, University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran and Department of Community Medicine, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Ahmad
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Rasolinejad
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Department of Psychiatry, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Radiology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Internal Medicine, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Ophthalmology, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Physiotherapy, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Ophthalmology, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Babol, University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran and Department of Community Medicine, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: Amrollah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mostafazadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Department of Psychiatry, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Radiology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Internal Medicine, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Ophthalmology, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Physiotherapy, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Ophthalmology, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Babol, University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran and Department of Community Medicine, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: Hadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Parsian
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Department of Psychiatry, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Radiology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Internal Medicine, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Ophthalmology, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Physiotherapy, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Ophthalmology, Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Centre, Babol, University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran and Department of Community Medicine, Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Centre, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bijani
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Health; Iran; ageing; older people