Epidemiological pattern of tuberculosis in Babol City, northern Iran (2015-2021)
Background: Tuberculosis (TB) continues to persist being the most important cause of death and disability in developing countries. Prioritizing the analysis of the current situation is the most effective approach to managing and intervening in any health issue. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the epidemiological patterns of TB in Babol City over seven years. Methods: This study was performed from 2015 to 2021. For data collection, the information of all cases of TB patients registered in the system of the Tuberculosis Inventory of the health department of Babol Medical Sciences was examined. Results: A total of 307 individuals diagnosed with TB were included in the study. More than 60 percent were under 50 years old and the highest number was observed in the 30-39 years old age group. Most of the patients were males (67.4%) and more than 90% were new cases of TB. 73.9% were pulmonary patients and 85.9% were smear-positive. The prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) had a notable decline, dropping from 7.05 per 100,000 individuals in 2015 to 5.26 per 100,000 individuals in 2021, which indicates a significant decreasing trend (P=0.012). Besides, there was a relationship between the type of disease (pulmonary/non-pulmonary) and age, gender, BMI, case of disease and history of TB-related hospitalization (p<0.05). Conclusion: The trends and factors identified in this study can enhance public awareness, reduce risk factors, and support effective patient screening programs. Additionally, these findings can help health policymakers assess regional disease status and develop future strategies.