Mapping of Stomach Cancer Rate in Iran Using Area-to-Area Poisson Kriging

Stomach cancer has the highest prevalence of gastrointestinal cancer in Iran. Therefore، the aim of this study was mapping stomach cancer rate in Iran using area-to-area Poisson Kriging.

Data of 336 cities in Iran was analyzed that was gathered by the ministry of health and medical education (in the non-infectious diseases management center) from 2003 to 2007. Area-to-area Poisson Kriging method was used to estimate the parameters of the map.

Mean incidence rate according to area-to-area Poisson Kriging method was estimated 5. 19. Variance mean incidence rate using the method was 0. 72. Maximum incidence 16. 36 with variance 1. 01 was related to Divandareh County and minimum incidence rate 0. 12 with variance 0. 67 was related to Sarbaz County. Minimum variance incidence rate 0. 01 was related to Tehran and maximum variance incidence rate 2. 51 was related to Koohbanan County.

The Area-to-Area Poisson Kriging method is recommended for estimating disease mapping parameters since this method accounts spatial support and pattern in irregular spatial area. The counties in provinces of Ardebil، Mazandaran and Kordestan had higher risk than other counties.