title: The epidemiological aspects of tuberculosis in Hamadan Province during 2005-11.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epidemiological information on tuberculosis (TB) is required to plan control and prevention strategies and to inform service delivery systems. The aim of present study was to determine the epidemiological status of TB in Hamadan Province covering a seven-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study all registered TB patients suffering from any form of smear-positive, smear-negative or extra pulmonary from 2005 to 2011 were assessed. Age-adjusted incidence trend was studied. The Cochran-Armitage (C-A) test was used for testing the trends over time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of TB patients was 57.0 (±21.1), 49.9% were males, 52.8% were aged 61 years or older and 39.7% were rural residents. Previous history of jailed was present in 13 (2.2%) patients and 12 (2.0%) were HIV positive. From all TB patients, 60.8% were smear-positive, 87.6% were new cases, and 87.3% of smear-positive patients were cured cases. Also, 23.6% patients had history of hospitalization for TB. More than half (55.4%) of TB patients were reported by public health system. Age-adjusted incidence rates of all TB cases during 2005-11 was 3.4, 3.2, 3.6, 4.7, 3.3, 4.4 and 7.3 in 100,000 respectively (C-A trend test, P< 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although, the incidence rate of TB in Hamadan Province is lower than country's average, increasing trend of TB incidence is not concordant with its decreasing trend in Iran. An epidemiological study is required to evaluate risk factors associated with TB to identify ways to decrease the prevalence of TB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Salman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khazaei
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Ghodratollah
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Roshanaei
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saatchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Shahab
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rezaeian
authors.affiliation: Center for Disease Control & Prevention, Deputy of Health Services, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zahiri
authors.affiliation: Center for Disease Control & Prevention, Deputy of Health Services, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyyed Jalal
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Bathaei
keywords: Epidemiology; Incidence; Iran; Tuberculosis (TB)