Spatial clustering of tuberculosis incidence in the North of Iran

Tuberculosis (TB) poses a serious threat to public health throughout the world but disproportionately afflicts low-income nations. The aim of this study is to identify the high-risk areas in Mazandaran province (northern Iran) in helping the heath programmer for the best intervention. This is an ecological study conducted from 1999 through 2008. The sample included 2444 Tuberculosis (TB) patients. The variables were age, gender, type of disease and residential location, analyzed by descriptive statistical methods and spatial analysis to identify cluster of disease incidence. Geographical information system software applied to map of smooth rate of TB. Of 2444 registered patients, 1283 (52.5%) were male. The data showed 61% urban and 96.4% of them with the Iranian nationality. There was insignificant difference between genders, but the main difference was observed between locations that are the incidence rate in the Tonekabon and Behshahr cities were 30% higher than mean incidence rate of Mazandaran province (P-value