Mohsen Soleimani - Dept. of Medical Informatics, Mousavi Hospital, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
Ahmad Jalilvand - Dept. of Pathology, Mousavi Hospital, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
Roghayeh Soleimani - Dept.of General Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Zanjan Branch, Zanjan, Iran.

Background and Objective: Stroke is the second leading cause of mortality and the third leading cause of morbidity worldwide. This study aimed to examine the spatial-temporal distribution of stroke in rural districts, Zanjan Province, Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Zanjan University of Medical Sciences (ZUMS). Patients with a discharge diagnosis of stroke (the ICD-۱۰ code of I۶۴), hospitalized during ۲۰۱۲-۲۰۱۹ at ZUMS hospitals, were selected as the study sample. Spatial statistical tools, autocorrelation Moran’s I, high-low clustering analysis, and hot spot analysis were used for spatial data analysis. ArcGIS ۱۰.۷, R ۳.۶.۰, and RStudio ۱.۲.۱۳۳۵ software packages were used to analyze the data. Results: During ۲۰۱۲-۲۰۱۹, ۸۴۰۴ stroke cases were hospitalized at ZUMS hospitals, with an incidence of ۶۹۷ patients per ۱۰۰ ۰۰۰ people. Men had a higher rate of stroke incidence (۵۲.۰۶%) compared with women (۴۷.۹۴%). The mean age of patients was ۶۹.۳±۱۴.۷ years; the mean length of stay was ۱۵۸.۸±۲۷۰ hours. In the study area, ۴ significantly hot spot areas and ۴ low-high outliers of stroke were found. Conclusion: This study showed a high incidence of stroke in Zanjan Province, Iran, from ۲۰۱۲ to ۲۰۱۹. Identifying high-risk areas of stroke is a warning to healthcare authorities and policymakers to focus on major risk factors. It can help to figure out the possible causes of stroke and implement prevention programs to reduce stroke incidence in these areas.

Cardiovascular diseases, Epidemiology, Geographic information systems, Stroke