The Challenges and Lessons Learned Experiences of Six Round STEPs Surveys in Iran

Given the importance of access to information and the need for reliable data, systematic approaches to evaluation of national surveys such as NCD risk factor surveillance system (STEPs) is a priority. Benefiting from partnership of all of stakeholders, present paper provides a practical framework of the strengths and weaknesses of planning and conduction of vast investigation. In addition, it can offer solutions for improving operational and scientific protocols.
The aim to the comprehensive review and analysis of 6 rounds implementations of STEPs, related documents, along with the findings of a qualitative study of the expert opinions were analyzed. The results were presented corresponding to the strengths, weaknesses, and challenges, with proposed approaches.
The results of this study show that in the years of 2004 - 2009 as well as 2011, the same questions have different codes in the questionnaire and in the data files. Based on the results, over the past 6 years, there are more than 240 distinct options in the questions. Accordingly, under 2 main axes of content and implementation, the findings were presented in accordance with the strengths, challenges, and suggested solutions, which includes the areas of questions, anthropometric, biological measurements, and sampling.
Development and standardization of administrative and scientific protocols of STEPs, along with the management of levels of security and availability of data proposed as long-term policies for better conduction and promotion of the study.