Uses, Limitations, and Validity of a Registry of Congenital Anomalies in Iran: A Critical Review.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2017;
2017:6972617. [PMID:
28781599 PMCID:
PMC5525091 DOI:
10.1155/2017/6972617]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2016] [Revised: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 06/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Preventive strategies of congenital anomalies are basically relying on the systematic ongoing collection and analysis of data and timely dissemination of information. The aim of this paper is to briefly report a critical review of a surveillance system of congenital anomalies in a developing country, by describing the challenges and experience of the registry since it began.
METHODS
Tabriz Registry of Congenital Anomalies (TRoCA) was mainly set up based on the guidelines provided by the International Clearinghouse for Birth Defects Surveillance and Research (ICBDSR) for data collection, coding, process, analysis, use, and evaluation of the system.
FINDINGS
TRoCA has successfully achieved its main objective as a pilot model for setting up a nationwide registry of congenital anomalies in the country. The programme has too succeeded in relation to its regional objectives: epidemiological rates and data have been produced consistently for etiological investigations, methodological studies, service provision, and preventive measures for selected anomalies.
CONCLUSIONS
Our successful experience, as a small registry in a developing country, might be of interest and useful to practitioners, policymakers of birth defects control programmes, and mainly those willing to set up a monitoring system of congenital anomalies in similar areas.
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