Research Gaps in Health Risk Associated with Dust Storms in Iran: A Systematic Review

Background: This study aims to identify research gaps and gather detailed, precise information about the health impacts of dust storms in Iran. Materials and Methods: A systematic review was carried out in accordance with PRISMA guidelines, exploring both Persian and English scientific articles across multiple databases (including Scopus, PubMed, EMBASE, WoS, Cochrane, and Google Scholar) up to December ۲۰۲۳. Two researchers independently screened studies based on specific criteria, and paper quality was evaluated using the CASP checklist. Results: Out of ۲,۰۰۶ studies that were initially searched, ۷ articles were selected for data extraction after removing duplicates and irrelevant items. In this study, the retrieved articles were published from ۲۰۱۴-۲۰۲۳. The majority of the studies reviewed indicated significant relationships between dust storms and increased rates of morbidity and mortality. Specifically, most studies suggested that the occurrence of dust storms is statistically significantly associated with an increased risk of mortality from daily non-accidental causes, as well as a higher risk of hospitalization for cardiovascular, respiratory, and stroke-related diseases. Discussion: Despite evidence of health impacts, a notable gap exists in the literature, especially the lack of longitudinal studies and real-time data analyses in vulnerable areas. Conclusion: Urgent research is needed to address these gaps and improve understanding of long-term health risks, focusing on methodologies that incorporate time series analyses to inform public health policies.

کلیدواژه ها:

Disaster ، Climate Change ، Desert Storm ، Particulate Matter ، Health