(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: The field teams participating in the National STEPwise Survey 2023 for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and their common risk factors started visiting on Thursday the homes of citizens and residents targeted in the survey.
The survey is carried out in cooperation between the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), the Planning and Statistics Authority (PSA), Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and Primary Healthcare Corporation (PHCC).
The survey will be carried out by visiting more than 8,500 homes of Qatari nationals and non-Qatari residents after a random sample is selected from household lists, based on the Population Census, 2020. The participants of the survey will be in the age group between 15 and 69 years old, randomly selected from these selected households.
In preparation for the start of the survey, the MoPH, in collaboration with the PSA, organised an intensive five-day training for census staff and nurses participating in the survey. The survey is a second cycle of STEPwise surveys to provide a database on chronic non-communicable diseases and their related risk factors in Qatar such as tobacco use, lack of physical activity, unhealthy nutrition, obesity, hypertension, increased blood glucose and increased blood fat. It will enable the MoPH to develop National Action plans, within the National Health Strategy, for controlling these diseases and their risk factors.
The survey is conducted by field teams visiting the homes of the families participating in the survey during its implementation period, during weekdays except for Friday, as visits are carried out from Sunday to Thursday between 4pm and 9pm, and on Saturdays between 9am and 2pm.
The well-trained data collection teams will conduct visits and a questionnaire will be filled out on common risk factors for chronic non-communicable diseases including tobacco use, fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity as well as physical measurements, such as height, weight, and waist circumference. Urine samples will be collected for urinary sodium and creatinine. The Blood tests for Blood glucose and lipids by Finger prick method will be conducted on the second visit to the household.
Sheikh Dr. Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, Director of the Public Health Department at MoPH, stressed the great importance of the national STEPwise survey, explaining that data will serve as evidence-based information for formulating action plans under the National Health strategy for tackling NCDs and for monitoring the prevalence of risk factors, to enhance the health of the community.
Nasser Saleh Almohdi, Director of the Census Department, PSA, highlighted the importance of joint cooperation between different government institutions in the fields of health research. He added that compiling the most updated and scientifically accurate data for NCDs and their risk factors is a vital national task, the findings of which will help in improving health services to the community.
Dr. Rayana Buhaqa, WHO Representative in Qatar, noted the increasing rates of morbidity and mortality from noncommunicable diseases and associated risk factors globally and in Qatar.