The Sabzevar PERSIAN Cohort Study (SPECS) is the first northeastern Iran cohort within the national PERSIAN framework, established to examine environmental and social determinants of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) with a regional focus. Between January 2018 and January 2019, SPECS enrolled 5,174 adults aged 35–70 years, using census and online registration, with baseline data collection including demographic verification, informed consent, health questionnaires, anthropometrics, and biological samples (blood, urine, hair, nails). Annual follow-up commenced April 2019, with full reassessments planned every five years over a 15-year period, employing active and passive follow-up supported by trained staff and registry linkages. To date, 4,241 participants (81%) remained; the cohort is 54.5% female, mean age 50.5 years, with high marriage prevalence (93.5%) and about 46.5% having at least high-school education. Reported risk factors include drug or tobacco use in roughly 15%. Common conditions observed were hypertension (22.8%), kidney stones (22.4%), fatty liver (15.4%), and diabetes (13.8%). All health data are self-reported. The study plans a 15-year follow-up to elucidate region-specific NCD incidence and risk factors, noting the ethnically homogeneous sample and potential biases from self-reporting.
Purpose Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have become the leading cause of mortality globally, with a sharp rise in Iran due to lifestyle changes and urbanisation. Although many NCD risk factors are modifiable, limited understanding of their determinants hinders effective prevention. To address this, the Prospective Epidemiological Research Studies in Iran (PERSIAN) Cohort was established in 2014 to study NCDs nationwide. The Sabzevar PERSIAN Cohort Study (SPECS) is the first in northeastern Iran, aiming to investigate environmental and social factors influencing NCDs in a unique regional context. Participants SPECS enrolled 5174 adults (aged 35 - 70 years) in northeastern Iran between January 2018 and January 2019 through a census and an online registration process. The baseline data collection included demographic verification, informed consent, health questionnaires, anthropometric measurements and biological samples (blood, urine, hair, nails). The annual follow-up began in April 2019, with full reassessments every 5 years over a 15-year period. The data is gathered via an active and passive follow-up, supported by trained staff and registry linkages. Findings to date Of the 5174 participants, 4241 (81%) remained in the study. Among the cohort, 54.5% were female, with a mean age of 50.5 years. The majority were married (93.5%), and nearly half had at least high-school education (46.5%) and moderate socioeconomic status (49.4%). Drug abuse history (smoking/drugs) was reported by about 15% of the sample. The mean body mass index was 26.9 kg/m², and the average blood pressure was higher in males (118.1/74.0 mm Hg) than in females (111.5/70.2 mm Hg). The common conditions included hypertension (22.8%), kidney stones (22.4%), fatty liver (15.4%) and diabetes (13.8%). Cancer had the highest treatment rate (100%), while fatty liver had the lowest (70.1%). Stroke had the highest mean age of onset (51.2 years), and epilepsy the lowest (23.7 years). All health data were self-reported. Future plans SPECS, part of the national PERSIAN cohort initiative, is the only adult NCD-focused study in Khorasan Razavi. Its 15-year follow-up aims to generate region-specific insights into the incidence of NCDs and their risk factors. The ethnically homogeneous sample enhances statistical power, and the findings may inform culturally tailored health policies. While self-reported data have limitations due to bias, high initial participation and access to free healthcare support long-term engagement, especially among lower-income groups.