Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Public Health 2251-6085 48 2 2019 02 01 227 237 Homayoun SADEGHI-BAZARGANI Road Traffic Injury Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Hamid ALLAHVERDIPOUR Clinical Psychiatry Research Center, Department of Health Education & Promotion, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; AND Research Center of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Department of Health Education & Promotion, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Mohammad ASGHARI JAFARABADI Tabriz Health Services Management Research Center, Health Management and Safety Promotion Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Saber AZAMI-AGHDASH Iranian Center of Excellence in Health Management, School of Management and Medical Informatics, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran 2019 02 05 Background: One of the most important effects of many drying lakes in the world is increasing the emergence and outbreak of different diseases. For this sake, the present study aimed to systematically review the effects of lakes drying on human health. Methods: The present systematic review was designed and conducted in 2017. Data were gathered by searching the Science Direct, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Knowledge databases, along with hand search of key journals and unpublished resources and contact with experts. There was no specific time span for the search. Results: Overall, 22 articles were selected with 20 articles about Aral Lake drying. Almost all studies were cross-sectional and retrospective. In 8 studies, the participants were children. Seventeen articles lakes drying have adverse effects on human health. Based on the type of effect, the studies were classified into 7 categories (respiratory problems, reproductive system problems, kidney and urological diseases, cancers, anemia, and diarrhea). Conclusion: Most studies depicted the harmful effects of lakes draught on human health; they had low level of evidence as they were mostly retrospective and cross-sectional. There is not enough evidence to accept or reject with high level of certainty the very effects of lakes drying on human health. To provide such evidence we suggest conducting middle and long term cohort and observational studies with scientific bases.     https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/view/16141 https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/download/16141/6279