title: The prevalence of dyspepsia symptoms and its correlation with the quality of life among Qashqai Turkish migrating nomads in Fars Province, Southern Iran.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of dyspepsia and its correlation with quality of life in Fars Qashqai Turkish migrating nomads from Southern Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  During 2010 we enrolled 397 Qashqai migrating nomads from Southern Iran who were 25 years of age or older. Participants completed a questionnaire that consisted of demographic factors, lifestyle data, gastrointestinal symptoms, and the Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a 48% prevalence of dyspepsia symptoms among participants. The prevalence was higher among females, those less than 35 years of age, married participants, and those with a low body mass index (BMI). The correlation between dyspepsia and quality of life was significant. Dyspeptic patients were classified into ulcer-like (27.9%), dysmotility-like (26.2%), and unspecified (45.9%) groups. A significant correlation existed between dyspepsia symptoms and consumption of dairy products, drinking water and tea before and after meals, smoking, dysphagia, reflux, heartburn, and use of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs and acetaminophen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high prevalence of dyspepsia in Qashqai nomads necessitates educational health programs for the migrating tribes in order to decrease prevalence of this disease.
authors.affiliation: Seyed Jalil Masoumi, Nutrition and Food Sciences Research Center, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Gastroenterohepatology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Jalil
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Masoumi
authors.affiliation: Davood Mehrabani, Department of Pathology, Stem Cell and Transgenic Technology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Davood
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mehrabani
authors.affiliation: Fariba Moradi, Shiraz Geriatric Research Center, Office of Vice Chancellor for Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Fariba
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Moradi
authors.affiliation: Najaf Zare, Department of Biostatistics, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Najaf
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zare
authors.affiliation: Mehdi Saberi-Firouzi, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saberi-Firouzi
authors.affiliation: Zohreh Mazloom, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Zohreh
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mazloom
keywords: Dyspepsia; Iran; Nomads; Prevalence; Quality of life