Comparison of mortality and morbidity rates among Iranian pilgrims in Hajj 2004 and 2005

OBJECTIVE: We compared the incidence of common diseases and accidents among Iranian pilgrims during Hajj 2004 and 2005, and determined the factors affecting the prevalence of each disease.

METHODS: We conducted this comparative study on 30037 Iranian pilgrims during Hajj 2004 and 75676 pilgrims during Hajj 2005, in Mecca and Medina in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In this study, 23 types of common illnesses, 8 types of accidents, some important demographic variables, and some probable related factors were investigated. Two-sample tests of proportions in STATA Statistical Software version 8 was used for the data analysis.

RESULTS: The most common diseases during the 2 journeys were respiratory diseases and the incidence of these diseases in Hajj 2005 was twice more in the year 2004. The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases among pilgrims in Hajj 2005 was 142 per 10,000 and it was significantly lower than in Hajj 2004 (288 per 10,000). There was no significant difference among gastrointestinal, gynecological, psychological, and other important diseases, in the 2 journeys. Among the 8 types of accidents, the incidence of head and eye injuries during Ramy (one of the components of Hajj rites) in the year 2005, was significantly lower in 2004 (22 per 10,000 against 125 per 10,000). Furthermore, the mortality rate in the year 2005 with 24 deaths per 100000, was significantly lower than the deaths in 2004 (47 per 100000).

CONCLUSION: The findings of this study may guide the Hajj managers to estimate the needs of drugs, equipment, manpower, and educational needs for the pilgrims, also to identify and eliminate casual factors of diseases and accidents.