Reforms and innovations in primary health care in different countries: scoping review

INTRODUCTION

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends focusing on primary health care (PHC) as the first strategy of countries to achieve the improvement of the health level of communities and has emphasized it again in 2021. Therefore, we intend to take a different look at the PHC system with reform, innovation, and initiative by using the experiences of leading countries and identify practical and evidence-based solutions to achieve greater health.

METHODS

This is a scoping review study that has identified innovations and reforms related to PHC since the beginning of 2000 to the end of 2022. In this study, Scopus, Web Of Science, and PubMed databases have been searched using appropriate keywords. This study is done in six steps using Arkesy and O'Malley framework. In this study, the framework of six building blocks of WHO was used to summarize and report the findings.

RESULTS

By searching in different databases, we identified 39426 studies related to reforms in primary care, and after the screening process, 106 studies were analyzed. Our findings were classified and reported into 9 categories (aims, stewardship/leadership, financing & payment, service delivery, health workforce, information, outcomes, policies/considerations, and limitations).

CONCLUSION

The necessity and importance of strengthening PHC is obvious to everyone due to its great consequences, which requires a lot of will, effort, and coordination at the macro-level of the country, various organizations, and health teams, as well as the participation of people and society.

Estimated reductions in type 2 diabetes burden through nutrition policies in AZAR cohort population: A PRIME microsimulation study for primary health care

Background

Given the impact of high intake of sugar-sweetened beverages on type 2 diabetes, intervention to reduce their consumption can be a top priority for any health system. Thus, the purpose of the present study is to simulate the impact of policy options related to reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) on the prevalence and mortality of type 2 diabetes in Iranian men and women.

Methods

A discrete event simulation (DES) model was used to predict the effect of several policy options on the prevalence and death from type 2 diabetes in Azar Cohort Databases. Population age- and sex-specific prevalence and incidence rate of diagnosed diabetes were derived from the national health data. The Preventable Risk Integrated Model (PRIME) model was used for coding the input parameters of simulation using R and Python software.

Results

The prevalence and mortality rate of type 2 diabetes under the scenario of reduced consumption of SSBs indicated that the highest and the lowest prevalence and mortality rates of type 2 diabetes for men and women were related to no policy condition and replacing SSBs with healthy drinks, like water, respectively. Also, the maximum "number of deaths postponed/ prevented" from type 2 diabetes was related to replacing SSBs with water (n=2015), and an integration of reformulation and applying 10% tax on SSBs (n=1872), respectively.

Conclusion

Simulating the effect of different policy options on reducing the consumption of SSBs showed "replacing of SSBs with water" as the most effective policy option in Iranian setting.

Exploring hospitals' functional preparedness effective factors in response to disasters: a qualitative study in a lower middle-income country

BACKGROUND

Medical services are among the most urgent needs of the disaster-affected population. Consequently, hospital preparedness -as the main health services provider- is one of the vital factors in effective response to disasters. The present study aims to explore the perspectives of study participants about the influential factors of hospital functional preparedness in a lower middle-income country.

METHODS

In this qualitative study, data were collected through 17 semi-structured interviews with disaster management authorities selected by purposive sampling. Content-Analysis was used to analyze the data.

RESULTS

138 codes were developed and categorized into ten categories and 34 subcategories. The main categories were: 1- leadership, command, and coordination (4 subcategories); 2- risk assessment (3 subcategories); 3- legislating and developing protocols, guidelines, and programs (3 subcategories); 4- estimating and storing the necessary supplies and equipment (3 subcategories); 5- human resource management (4 subcategories); 6- education, training, and development of staff (6 subcategories); 7- vital routes and facilities (3 subcategories); 8- communication (3 subcategories); 9- security, safety and locating of safe zones (3 subcategories); 10- underlying disaster risk factors (2 subcategories).

CONCLUSION

According to the participants of this study, ten categories of factors can affect hospitals' functional preparedness; hospital managers and decision-makers can consider these factors to ensure the proper provision of medical services during disasters.

Key factors affecting health promoting behaviors among adolescents: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Health-promoting behaviors have been noticed recently as one of the most critical factors in raising life expectancy, which can be formed during adolescence. Thus, the current scoping review aimed to identify the key factors affecting health-promoting behaviors among adolescents.

METHODS

In this scoping review, we searched multiple English online databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, ProQuest, and Scopus, for articles published between 1977 and 2020. All eligible studies describing health-promoting behaviors in adolescents were included. We followed the JBI guideline for conducting a scoping review and increasing the study's rigor. Extracted data were synthesized through inductive approaches.

RESULTS

A total of 3199 articles were identified during the first phase. After the screening process, 20 articles were found eligible for final inclusion. Educational factors (individualized education and school health promotion programs), Economic factors (income, economic incentives and national health insurance), Social factors (support system, responsibility and peers), Spiritual, Psychological and Personal factors (gender, family structure, patterns of living, and medical problems) were found effective in health-promoting behaviors among adolescents.

CONCLUSIONS

Health-promoting behaviors among adolescents require careful consideration. The current review identified some fundamental factors affecting health-promoting behaviors in adolescents. Based on the findings, it is recommended that policymakers and healthcare providers develop several interventions based on identified factors to increase adolescent's health-promoting behaviors among adolescents.

Impacts of accreditation on the performance of primary health care centres: A systematic review

Introduction

Evidence on the impacts of accreditation on primary health care (PHC) services is inconsistent. Thus, this study aimed to assess the impacts of accreditation on the performance of PHC centres.

Method

This study systematically reviewed articles published from 2000 to 2019 in the Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Springer, PubMed and ProQuest. The following keywords were used: ((primary care OR primary health care) AND (accreditation) AND (impact OR effect OR output OR outcome OR influence OR result OR consequences)). The database search yielded a total of41256 articles, among which 30 articles were finally included in the review.

Results

Accreditation showed the most positive impacts on the quality, effectiveness, human resource management and strategic management of PHC services. Accreditation also positively affected safety, responsiveness, accessibility, customer satisfaction, documentation, leadership, efficiency and continuity of care. Few negative impacts were noted, including the possibility of accreditation being used as a bureaucratic tool, high cost of acquiring accreditation, difficulties in understanding the accreditation process, high staff turnover rate in accredited PHC centres and weak sustainability of some accreditation programmes.

Conclusion

Given its numerous positive impacts, accreditation could be used to effectively improve the performance of PHC centres.

Costs of inpatient care and out-of-pocket payments for COVID-19 patients: A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To identify the costs of hospital care for patients with COVID-19 and the amount of out-of-pocket payments.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review using Scopus and WEB OF SCIENCE and PubMed databases in April 5, 2022 and then updated in January 15, 2023. English articles with no publication year restrictions were included with study designs of cost-of-illness (COI) studies, cost analyses, and observational reports (cross-sectional studies and prospective and retrospective cohorts) that calculated the patient-level cost of care for COVID-19. Costs are reported in USD with purchasing power parity (PPP) conversion in 2020. The PROSPERO registration number is CRD42022334337.

RESULTS

The results showed that the highest total cost of hospitalization in intensive care per patient was 100789 USD, which was reported in Germany, and the lowest cost was 5436.77 USD, which was reported in Romania. In the present study, in the special care department, the highest percentage of total expenses is related to treatment expenses (42.23 percent), while in the inpatient department, the highest percentage of total expenses is related to the costs of hospital beds/day of routine services (39.07 percent). The highest percentage of out-of-pocket payments was 30.65 percent, reported in China, and the lowest percentage of out-of-pocket payments was 1.12 percent, reported in Iran. The highest indirect cost per hospitalization was 16049 USD, reported in USA, and the lowest was 449.07 USD, reported in India.

CONCLUSION

The results show that the COVID-19 disease imposed a high cost of hospitalization, mainly the cost of hospital beds/day of routine services. Studies have used different methods for calculating the costs, and this has negatively impacted the comparability costs across studies. Therefore, it would be beneficial for researchers to use a similar cost calculation model to increase the compatibility of different studies. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42022334337.

Developing Iranian sub-national primary health care measurement framework: a mixed-method study

BACKGROUND

Desired health outcomes are more achievable through strong Primary Health Care (PHC). Using comprehensive and scientific tools, decision-makers are guided to formulate better PHC reforms and policies. This study introduces a sub-national framework based on the World Health Organization (WHO) proposed frameworks for the PHC performance measurement.

METHOD

By a mixed-method and qualitative approach, the Iranian sub-national PHC Measurement Framework (PHCMF) was developed through a review of the WHO's PHC measurement conceptual framework (for selecting Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)), literature review (academic database), PHC-related national documents, consultations with an advisory committee of national experts (6-meetings), and the Delphi technique for finalizing the framework.

RESULTS

The Iranian sub-national PHCMF was finalized with 100 KPIs in three components including Health systems determinants, Service Delivery, and Health system objectives. Based on the result chain domain, most KPIs were related to the output (24 KPIs) and the least were related to the input and the process (9 KPIs).

CONCLUSION

Regarding the comprehensiveness of the developed measurement framework due to its focus on all PHC operational levers and key aspects of PHC systems' performance, it can be used as a practical tool for assessing and improving the Iranian sub-national PHC system.

Barriers to community participation in primary health care of district health: a qualitative study

INTRODUCTION

Community participation is one of the principles of primary health care (PHC). However, it has not been adequately institutionalized due to numerous barriers. Therefore, the present study is conducted to identify barriers to community participation in primary health care in the district health network from the perspectives of stakeholders.

METHODS

This qualitative case study was conducted in 2021 in Divandareh city, Iran. A total of 23 specialists and experts experienced in community participation, including nine health experts, six community health workers, four community members, and four health directors in primary health care programs, were selected using the purposive sampling method until complete saturation. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed simultaneously using qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

After data analysis, 44 codes, 14 sub-themes, and five themes were identified as barriers to community participation in primary health care in the district health network. The themes included community trust in the healthcare system, the status of community participation programs, the community and system's perception of participation programs, health system management approaches, and cultural barriers and institutional obstacles.

CONCLUSION

Based on the results of this study most important barriers to community participation relate to community trust, the organizational structure, community and the health profession's perception regarding the participatory programs. It seems necessary to take measures to remove barriers in order to realize community participation in primary healthcare system.

Factors Affecting the Functional Preparedness of Hospitals in Response to Disasters: A Systematic Review

Objective

This study aimed to comprehensively determine the factors that affect the hospitals' functional preparedness in response to disasters.

Methods

A systematic review of studies published in English and Persian up to the end of 2022 was performed by searching PubMed Central, Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest, SID, and Elmnet databases. Articles that assessed hospitals' functional preparedness were searched by using a combination of medical subject heading terms and keywords including disaster, emergency, preparedness, hospital preparedness, health care facilities preparedness, hospital functional preparedness, health care facilities functional preparedness, readiness, and effective factors. Additionally, journals and gray literature were manually searched. Two independent reviewers screened the eligible papers. The inclusion criteria were the full text should be published up to the end of 2022, in both Persian and English, and focus on hospital preparedness. The extracted data were manually analyzed, summarized, and reported using the content analysis method.

Results

Of the 3465 articles, 105 studies were eventually included in the final analysis. Eighty-two influential factors were identified and classified into seven categories: government, coordination, control, and commanding (7 factors), existing guidelines and preparedness plans (12 factors), regulations (6 factors), supplying of resources (37 factors), education and training (8 factors), multi-layered information management and communication systems (8 factors), and contextual factors (4 factors).

Conclusion

There are different dimensions of hospital preparedness for disasters, each of which is influenced by several independent factors. Addressing these factors will enhance the actual functional preparedness of hospitals encountering disasters.

Effect of salt reduction interventions in lowering blood pressure: A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials

BACKGROUND

Excessive salt intake results in hypertension (HTN), which is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). This review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effect of salt reduction interventions on systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP).

METHODS

Studies were identified via systematic searches of the databases, including PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science. All the studies examining the effectiveness of salt reduction interventions on blood pressure (BP), regardless of age, sex, and HTN status, were included in the systematic review, and eligible studies were used in the meta-analysis. A random-effect model was applied for quantitative data synthesis.

RESULTS

A total of 50 trials extracted from 40 articles (21 trials on nutrition education,10 on self-help materials,17 on salt substitutes, and 2 on food reformulation) were included in the systematic review. The pooled results of 44 eligible trials showed that salt substitution and nutrition education interventions had significant effects on both SBP (WMD: -7.44 mmHg, P<0.001 and WMD: -2.75 mmHg, P<0.001, respectively), and DBP (WMD: -3.77 mmHg, P<0.001 and WMD: -2.11 mmHg, P<0.001, respectively). Furthermore, using self-help materials led to a significant reduction in SBP among subjects aged 25-60 years (WMD: -2.60 mmHg, P = 0.008); it also decreased both SBP and DBP among those who were hypertensive (WMD: -3.87 mmHg, P = 0.003 and WMD: -2.91 mmHg, P<0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Our results supported that salt substitution and nutrition education are effective nutrition strategies to lower BP. It seems that multi-component approaches could be more effective in improving BP status. However, further trials are required.

Prioritizing population-based nutrition-related interventions to prevent and control hypertension in Iran: a multi-criteria decision-making approach

Background

Numerous nutrition-related policy options and strategies have been proposed to tackle hypertension and other risk factors of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). In this study, we developed a comparative analysis using a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model for prioritizing population-based nutrition-related interventions to prevent and control hypertension in Iran.

Methods

We employed a combination of Delphi technique and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method as the methodological tool to prioritize decision alternatives using multiple criteria. The prominent assessment criteria and intervention strategies were derived using a literature review, focus group discussion (n = 11), and a 2-round modified Delphi technique with specialists and experts involved in different stages of health policy-making (round 1: n = 50, round 2: n = 46). Then, the AHP was used to determine the weightage of the selected interventions and develop the decision-making model. The sensitivity analysis was performed to test the stability of the priority ranking.

Results

Nine alternative interventions were included in the final ranking based on eight assessment criteria. According to the results, the most priority interventions to prevent and control hypertension included reformulation of food products to contain less salt and changing the target levels of salt in foods and meals, providing low-sodium salt substitutes, and reducing salt intake through the implementation of front-of-package labeling (FOPL). The results of the sensitivity analysis and a comparison analysis suggested that the assessment model performed in this study had an appropriate level of robustness in selecting the best option among the proposed alternatives.

Conclusion

MCDM techniques offer a potentially valuable approach to rationally structuring the problem, along with the opportunity to make explicit the judgments used as part of the decision-making model. The findings of this study provide a preliminary evidence base to guide future decisions and reforms aiming to improve appropriate population-based interventions for tackling hypertension and other risk factors of NCDs.

The challenges facing programs for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases in Iran: a qualitative study of senior managers' viewpoints

Background

Despite significant achievements in the prevention and control of NCDs in Iran, these conditions are still the biggest challenges to Iran's healthcare system and are estimated to account for 78.1 percent of all deaths. Therefore, this study aimed to reflect on the potential challenges standing in the way to implement the relevant policies, empower the dimensions of governance, and react in an effective and timely manner by Iran's healthcare system to NCDs.

Methods

This study was conducted with a qualitative approach using the conventional content analysis method. A total of 46 senior managers involved in the prevention and control of NCDs at the medical sciences universities across Iran were recruited through the purposive sampling method and were interviewed via semi-structured interviews. Graneheim and Lundman's approach was utilized to analyze the data.

Results

According to the analysis of the senior managers' viewpoints, current challenges to implement the program for the prevention and control of NCDs in Iran could be placed into six main categories, including financing, human resources, infrastructure and inputs, legal, executive, administrative, as well as inter-sectoral collaboration, and management and policy-making challenges with their own sub-categories.

Conclusion

The results revealed that financing was the biggest challenge to successfully implementing the program for the prevention and control of NCDs in Iran. However, strengthening Iran's healthcare system in the field of the prevention of NCDs demanded more innovative measures and strategies, such as the empowerment of human resources, the effective use of intra- and inter-sectoral collaboration, and non-governmental organizations and charities, along with the exploitation of evidence-based studies during policy-making and decision-making processes, with no need for financial resources.

Developing Iranian sub-national Primary Health Care Measurement Framework: a study protocol

BACKGROUND

Developing an effective system for measurement and improvement of primary health care (PHC) based on the conditions and characteristics of the countries' health systems is one of the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations.

AIMS

This study will aim to develop a framework to assess the Iranian sub-national PHC system performance using the WHO measurement framework for PHC.

METHODS/DESIGNS

This is a mix-method study with a triangulation design. The Iranian sub-national PHC Measurement Framework (PHCMF) will be developed through a review of the WHO's PHC measurement conceptual framework (for selecting key performance indicators (KPIs)), literature review (academic database), PHC-related national documents, consultations with national experts, and the Delphi technique for finalizing the framework. The required data for calculating selected KPIs is expected to encompass qualitative and quantitative data. Discussion: Iranian PHC system performance is not measured based on the holistic and scientific framework and international standards. The information obtained from this project will guide managers and policymakers to be aware of the current situation and the success rate of the PHC system in achieving the desired goals, as well as identify strengths and weaknesses of the PHC system and provide the solution to better policy formulation.

Setting research priorities to achieve long-term national road safety goals in Iran

Background

Road traffic crashes (RTCs) and its associated injuries are one of the most important public health problems in the world. In Iran, RTCs rank second in terms of mortality. To address this issue, there is a need for research-based interventions. Prioritizing researches using a variety of approaches and frameworks to determine the most effective interventions is a key nodal point in the RTCs' research policy planning cycle. Thus, this study aims to generate and prioritize research questions in the field of RTCs in Iran.

Methods

By adapting the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) method, this study engaged 25 prominent Iranian academic leaders having role in setting Iran’s long-term road safety goals, a group of research funders, and policymakers. The experts' proposed research questions were independently scored on a set of criteria: feasibility, impact on health, impact on the economy, capacity building, and equity. Following the prioritization of Research Questions (RQs), they were all classified using the 5 Pillar frameworks.

Results

In total, 145 Research Questions were systematically scored by experts against five criteria. Iran's top 20 road traffic safety priorities were established. The RQs related to “road safety management” and “road and infrastructure” achieved a high frequency.

Conclusions

The top 20 research questions in the area of RTCs in Iran were determined by experts. The majority of these RQs were related to “road safety management”. The results of this study may contribute to the optimal use of resources in achieving long-term goals in the prevention and control of road traffic crashes and its related injuries. Considering these RQs as research investment options will improve the current status of Road Traffic Injuries (RTIs) at a national level and further advance toward compliance with international goals. If these research priorities are addressed, and their findings are implemented, we can anticipate a significant reduction in the number of crashes, injuries, and deaths.

Community-Based Interventions to Reduce Fat Intake in Healthy Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background:

Reducing fat intake is a major focus of most dietary recommendations aiming to prevent chronic diseases. Thus, this study aimed to summarize community-based interventions for reducing fat consumption among healthy people.

Methods:

According to PRISMA guidelines, in this systematic review and meta-analysis databases including PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, ProQuest, and Google Scholar were searched up to January 2021. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) or quasi-experimental studies reporting the effect of community-based interventions to reduce fat intake in a healthy populations were included. The quality of studies was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration tool and The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist. Meta-analysis was performed using CMA2 software.

Results:

Our search strategy resulted in a total of 1,621 articles, 43 of which were included in the study after screening. Of the 43 included studies, 35 studies reported a significant decrease in fat intake using educational and multiple intervention methods. About 82% of studies using the technology were effective (significant decrease in fat intake) in reducing fat intake. Moreover, studies specifically designed to change fat intake were more effective than multicomponent interventions. The meta-analysis of high-quality studies showed that the differences in total fat (-0.262 g/d) and saturated fat (-0.350 g/d) intake between the intervention and control groups were statistically significant (P<0.05).

Conclusion:

Based on the high-quality studies, educational and multiple interventions are suggested in the community settings to decrease fat intake. For a concise conclusions, long-term and high frequency interventions focusing on reducing fat intake are desirable.

Weight of Risk Factors for Adjusting Capitation in Primary Health Care: A Systematic Review

Background: Capitation payment is the best-known strategy for paying providers in primary health care. Since health care needs and personal characteristics play an essential role in health care utilization and resource spending, there is a growing tendency on risk adjustment models among health researchers. The objective of this systematic review was to examine the weights used for risk adjustment in primary health care capitation payment.

Methods: We systematically searched Scopus, ProQuest, Web of Science, and PubMed in March 2018. Two authors independently apprised the included articles and they also evaluated, identified, and categorized different factors on capitation payments mentioned in the included studies.

Results: A total of 742 studies were identified and 12 were included in the systematic review after the screening process. Risk factors for capitation adjustment included age, gender, and income with the weighted average being 1.76 and 1.03, respectively. Moreover, the weighted average disease incidence adjusted clinical groups (ACGs), diagnostic cost groups (DCGs), principal in patient diagnostic cost groups (PIP-DCGs), and hierarchical coexisting conditions (HCCs) were reported as 1.31, 24.7-.99, 10.4-.65, and 11.7-1.01, respectively.

Conclusion: In low-income countries, the most effective factors used in capitation adjustment are age and sex. Moreover, the most applied factor in high-income countries is adjusted clinical groups, and income factors can have a better impact on the reduction of costs in low-income countries. Each country can select its most efficient factors based on the weight of the factor, income level, and geographical condition.

The Effectiveness of Fluoride Varnish and Fissure Sealant in Elementary School Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background:

Highly necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of preventive interventions to prioritize them at the community level. We aimed to systematically investigate the related studies on the effects of fluoride varnish and fissure sealant on dental caries in 6–12 children.

Methods:

We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Scopus databases using Fluoride Varnish, Fissure Sealant, Caries, and Oral Health keywords. The timeframe selected to search for articles is from 2000 to Dec 2020. CMA software: 2 (Comprehensive Meta-Analysis) was used to perform the meta-analysis. The intervention groups in this study were fluoride varnish and fissure sealants, each of them compared to the control groups.

Results:

We included nine studies. In the intervention group 84,380 and control group 11,254 individuals were studied. Eight of the studies were Randomized Clinical Trial (RCT) and Field RCT, and two was non-RCT. In the overall Fluoride Varnish efficacy study, 4 were fully effective, 1 was ineffective, and all 4 were completely effective for Fissure Sealant. There was a significant difference between decayed, missing, and filled permanent teeth (DMFT) and decayed, missing, and filled primary teeth (dmft) indices in both interventions and comparison groups. Moreover, the mean difference of DMFT for Fluoride Varnish and Fissure Sealant in the intervention and control groups were −0.55 and −0.29, respectively (P=0.00).

Conclusion:

Due to the efficacy of fissure sealant and fluoride varnish in preventing dental caries in children aged 6–12 yr, these interventions can be considered as health priorities of societies and health systems interventions in countries.

The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Non-Communicable Disease Prevention and Management Services in the Primary Health Care System of Iran

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruptions in the provision of non-communicable disease (NCDs) prevention and control services in many countries, and there is a concern that it would lead to long-term complications of the diseases. The aim of this study is to assess the changes in the provisions of selected NCD services before and after the COVID-19 epidemic in Iran's primary healthcare system. Methods: In this descriptive-analytical retrospective study, the number of eight NCD services provided during the first 10 months of the COVID-19 pandemic from Feb 2020 to Dec 2020 were compared with the same period in the previous year using the data from the Iranian integrated electronic health record system (SIB) and also the association between the number of deaths due to COVID-19 and a sample of NCD services were assessed using cross-correlation analysis. The statistical analysis was performed in Stata Software v.14. Results: The NCD services have decreased by an average of 18.89% compared to the same period in the previous year; this decline was much more severe at the beginning of the epidemic period (up to 75% in some services) and was greater in physician-provided services than in non-physician services. Also, examining the course of the selected services during this period, a gradual compensation was evident after the initial reduction. Conclusion: The general trend of the selected services of prevention and control of NCDs in the PHC system of Iran within 10 months after the onset of COVID-19 showed a sharp decline and subsequent gradual compensation. Although the process of compensation in some services may be considered somewhat reassuring, in the case of some essential services, more effort and attention to the implementation of programs or compensatory policies seem necessary.

Countries' experiences in reforming hospital administration structure based on the Parker and Harding model: A systematic review study

In recent years, many reforms have been made on the structure of hospital administration, most of which are proposed by Parker-Harding models. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to systematically review global relevant experiences in reforming the hospital governance structure with emphasis on the Parker-Harding model. Required information was collected using keywords autonomization, corporatization, privatization, decentralization, reform, hospital autonomy, governance model, and structural reform in databases such as EMBASE, PubMed, Scopus, SID, MagIran, and other resources. Information on the subjects under study was collected from 1990 to 2020. The content extraction method was used for data extraction and data analysis. Thirty-nine sources were included in the study. Results of searching for relevant evidence on a variety of hospital governance models (government, board, corporate, and private) based on the Parker-Harding model in four categories including strengths (31), weaknesses (30), outcomes (26), and interventions (21) are outlined. In this study, strengths, weaknesses, outcomes, and corrective interventions were presented for different models of hospital administration that could be used by healthcare policymakers. Also, According to the results of this study, governmental model less recommended.

Public-Private Partnership Policy in Primary Health Care: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Given the challenges of governments to deliver primary health care (PHC), engaging private sector in the form of public-private partnership (PPP) can be effective policy. The aim of present study is to review the experiences of implementing PPP policy in PHC.

METHODS

This scoping review study was conducted in 2019 using the framework proposed by Arkesy and O'Malley. Required data were collected through search the related keywords in databases, manual search of some journals, websites, and other sources of information and through references check, from January 2000 to May 2019. All studies, which focused on the results of PPP in PHC, and published in English or Persian were included in the study.

RESULTS

A total of 108 articles were included in the study. The studies were mostly conducted in low- and middle-income countries. The quantitative studies have demonstrated the success of this policy in improving PHC indicators. Based on the qualitative studies PPP in PHC has many benefits, including access improvement, economic benefits, and service quality enhancement.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study provides useful information on the experiences of different countries in the field of PPP in PHC that can be used by experts and decision makers to decide whether to engage the private sector in the form of PPP model.

Prevalence of COVID-19 in Iran: results of the first survey of the Iranian COVID-19 Serological Surveillance programme

Objectives

This study aims to estimate the prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the general population of Iran.

Methods

The target population was all Iranian people aged 6 years and older in the country. A stratified random sampling design was used to select 28 314 people from among the individuals registered in the electronic health record systems used in primary health care in Iran. Venous blood was taken from each participant and tested for the IgG antibody against COVID-19. The prevalence of COVID-19 was estimated at provincial and national levels after adjusting for the measurement error of the laboratory test, non-response bias and sampling design.

Results

Of the 28 314 Iranians selected, 11 256 (39.75%) participated in the study. Of these, 5406 (48.0%) were male and 6851 (60.9%) lived in urban areas. The mean (standard deviation) participant age was 35.89 (18.61) years. The adjusted prevalence of COVID-19 until 20 August 2020 was estimated as 14.2% (95% uncertainty interval 13.3%–15.2%), which was equal to 11 958 346 (95% CI 11 211 011–12 746 776) individuals. The adjusted prevalences of infection were 14.6%, 13.8%, 16.6%, 11.7% and 19.4% among men, women, urban population, rural population and individuals aged 60 years or more, respectively. Ardabil, Golestan and Khuzestan provinces had the highest prevalence and Alborz, Hormozgan and Kerman provinces had the lowest.

Conclusions

Based on the study results, a large proportion of the Iranian population had not yet been infected by COVID-19. The observance of hygienic principles and social restrictions should therefore continue until the majority of the population has been vaccinated.

Nationwide population-based surveys of Iranian COVID-19 Serological Surveillance (ICS) program: The surveys protocol

Background: Serological surveillance of COVID-19 through conducting repetitive population-based surveys can be useful in estimating and monitoring changes in the prevalence of infection across the country. This paper presents the protocol of nationwide population-based surveys of the Iranian COVID-19 Serological Surveillance (ICS) program. Methods: The target population of the surveys is all individuals ≥6 years in Iran. Stratified random sampling will be used to select participants from those registered in the primary health care electronic record systems in Iran. The strata are the 31 provinces of the country, in which sampling will be done through simple random sampling. The sample size is estimated 858 individuals for each province (except for Tehran province, which is 2574) at the first survey. It will be recalculated for the next surveys based on the findings of the first survey. The participants will be invited by the community health workers to the safe blood sampling centers at the district level. After obtaining written informed consent, 10 mL of venous blood will be taken from the participants. The blood samples will be transferred to selected reference laboratories in order to test IgG and IgM antibodies against COVID-19 using an Iranian SARS-CoV-2 ELISA Kit (Pishtaz Teb). A serologically positive test is defined as a positive IgG, IgM, or both. After adjusting for the measurement error of the laboratory test, nonresponse bias, and sampling design, the prevalence of COVID-19 will be estimated at the provincial and national levels. Also, the approximate incidence rate of infection will be calculated based on the data of both consecutive surveys. Conclusion: The implementation of these surveys will provide a comprehensive and clear picture of the magnitude of COVID-19 infection and its trend over time for health policymakers at the national and subnational levels.

Developing National Functional Accreditation Model for Primary Healthcares with Emphasis on Family Practice in Iran

BACKGROUND

Accreditation is an approach toward quality improvement which has been increasingly implemented in healthcare. This study aimed at developing a national functional accreditation model for primary healthcare with emphasis on family practice in Iran.

METHODS

This mixed-method study utilizes a set of research methods purposefully. Initially, the reference models were used for benchmarking accreditation standards through a systematic review. Then, the primary accreditation standards were developed and then they were assessed and approved by the experts of the field via Delphi technique. In the following and after developing essential parts of the standards, the necessary changes in developed model were done according to the pilot test results.

RESULTS

The results of systematic review suggested the superiority of accreditation models of the United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom globally; and the models of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Egypt in Eastern-Mediterranean region. Then, the primary standards including 39 functional standards with 231 measures were developed according to the benchmarked models, and were approved by the experts in Delphi-based study. In pilot test step, the compliance rate of developed standards by primary healthcare centers was calculated 61.61% and 26.37% for self-evaluation and external evaluation phases, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Regarding the comprehensiveness of developed accreditation model due to its focus on all functional dimensions and the consensus over the developed standards by the experts, it can be an underlying ground for the establishment and evaluation of functional improvement programs in Iranian primary healthcare system.

Two decades of Iranian midwives' activities as a health care provider under supervision in a multidisciplinary team in reducing maternal mortality

Iran is amongst the countries that have achieved the fifth goal of the United Nations Millennium Development Goal. The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in Iran has declined from 48 cases per 100,000 in 2000 to 16 cases per 100,000 in 2017, showing an annual decline rate of about 6.3%. In the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife (year 2020), this commentary highlights two decades of Iranian midwives' activities as a health care provider under supervision in a multidisciplinary team in reducing maternal mortality.

Public-private partnerships in primary health care: a scoping review

Background

The Astana Declaration on Primary Health Care reiterated that PHC is a cornerstone of a sustainable health system for universal health coverage (UHC) and health-related Sustainable Development Goals. It called for governments to give high priority to PHC in partnership with their public and private sector organisations and other stakeholders. Each country has a unique path towards UHC, and different models for public-private partnerships (PPPs) are possible. The goal of this paper is to examine evidence on the use of PPPs in the provision of PHC services, reported challenges and recommendations.

Methods

We systematically reviewed peer-reviewed studies in six databases (ScienceDirect, Ovid Medline, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus) and supplemented it by the search of grey literature. PRISMA reporting guidelines were followed.

Results

Sixty-one studies were included in the final review. Results showed that most PPPs projects were conducted to increase access and to facilitate the provision of prevention and treatment services (i.e., tuberculosis, education and health promotion, malaria, and HIV/AIDS services) for certain target groups. Most projects reported challenges of providing PHC via PPPs in the starting and implementation phases. The reported challenges and recommendations on how to overcome them related to education, management, human resources, financial resources, information, and technology systems aspects.

Conclusion

Despite various challenges, PPPs in PHC can facilitate access to health care services, especially in remote areas. Governments should consider long-term plans and sustainable policies to start PPPs in PHC and should not ignore local needs and context.

Psychometric properties of the Iranian version of self-care ability scale for the elderly

BACKGROUND

Measuring self-care ability in elderly people needs specific instruments. The Self-care Ability Scale for Elderly (SASE) is one of the common instruments used for assessing self-care ability. The aim of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the SASE among Iranian elderly population.

METHODS

This cross-cultural adaptation study was carried out at Shahid Chamran and Shadpour Health Complex in Tabriz, Iran. The forward-backward procedure was applied to translate the SASE from English into Persian. Then, it was completed to 220 elderly people. A systematic random sampling method was used for sampling. Content validity was calculated through modified Kappa coefficient (modified CVI) based on clarity and relevance criteria. Reliability was measured by internal consistency and test-retest analysis. The construct validity also was assessed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). All the statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 21 statistical software package.

RESULTS

The mean of self-care ability was 61.14 ± 21.08. The CVI and modified kappa were 0.91 and 0.92 for relevance and clarity, respectively. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.73 and Intra-class correlation coefficient was 0.97. The results of EFA revealed a three-factor solution ('ability to take care of personal responsibility', 'ability to take care for the goals', and 'ability to take care of the health') that jointly explained for 64.61% of the total variance.

CONCLUSION

Results of the study showed that the Iranian version of the SASE has good psychometric properties and can be used in assessing the self-care ability of elderly people.

Health Care Waste Management Improvement Interventions Specifications and Results: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

Given the importance of proper management of Health Care Waste Management (HCWM), comprehensive information on interventions in this field is necessary. Therefore, we aimed to systematically review and meta-analysis of characteristics and results of interventions in the field of HCWM.

Methods

The required data were gathered through searching the keywords such as waste management, biomedical waste, hospitals waste, health care waste, infectious waste, medical waste, Waste Disposal Facilities, Garbage, Waste Disposal Facilities, Hazardous Waste Sites in PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, Google scholar, Cochrane library, Science Direct, web of knowledge, SID and MagIran and hand searching in journals, reference by reference, and search in Gray literatures between 2000 and 2019. CMA software: 2 (Comprehensive Meta-Analysis) was used to perform the meta-analysis.

Results

Twenty-seven interventions were evaluated. Most of the studies were conducted after 2010, in the form of pre and post study, without control group, and in hospital. Interventions were divided into two categories: educational interventions (19 studies) and multifaceted managerial interventions (8 studies). The most studied outcome (in 11 studies) was KAP (knowledge, attitude and practice). The mean standard difference of interventions on KAP was estimated 3.04 (2.54-3.54) which was significant statistically (P<0.05). Also, interventions were considerably effective in improving the indicators of waste production amount, waste management costs and overall waste management performance.

Conclusion

Despite positive effect of interventions, due to the methodological deficiencies of published studies and high heterogeneity in results of studies, caution should be exercised in interpreting and using the results of the studies.

Developing safe community and healthy city joint model

BACKGROUND

Healthy city and safe community programs are the most common initiatives gaining increasing appeal in various communities to improve safety and health, independently. The aim of this study was to develop a joint application model of safe community and healthy city.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature review was conducted on healthy city and safe community programs using PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and Science Direct and also related websites such as WHO regional offices in 2018. The preliminary list of joint model dimensions and topics were extracted and then assessed by the expert through two rounds of decision Delphi and four expert panel sessions. Eventually, the visual model was developed and approved by the experts.

RESULTS

Literature review resulted in the identification of 11 programs on safety and health promotion in the community of which 35 topics were extracted. After investigating the topics accordance, they were judged (correction, merging or eliminating) by experts through Delphi rounds and panel sessions. Eventually a joint model comprising 14 dimensions, 3 core principles and 4 values called "Safe and Health Promoting Community, SHPC_ model" was developed.

CONCLUSIONS

SHPC model provides a parallel and comprehensive view on safety and health topics in a community. The implementation of an integrated model could be one possible way to enhance the commitments on behalf of state and local government, and health system leaders to prioritize injuries and non-communicable disease prevention to address promotion, prevention, treatment and social consequences of mutual community-based interventions.

Home injury prevention attitude and performance: a community-based study in a designated safe community

Background:

Unintentional injuries in the home are one of the threats to childhood quality of life which is considered as a social determinant of health. Regarding mother's leading role in taking care of the children in Iranian families, the present study was conducted to investigate mothers' home-injury prevention attitude and performance and its contributing factors in Sahand safe community, East-Azerbaijan, Iran.

Methods:

This was a cross-sectional study conducted in 2017. Sampling was done using "Random Sampling method" among all mothers having at least one U-5 child and attended the health centers to receive childcare services. A valid attitude questionnaire and safety performance checklist were used for data collection. Data were analyzed by SPSS-24, using descriptive (frequency, mean, etc.) and inferential statistics (chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis).

Results:

The mean age of mothers was 30.58 (±5.01). About 65% of the mothers had primary or secondary school education. The mean score of mothers' attitude was 72.12(±6.79). More than 58% of the mothers had an appropriate level of attitude. The mothers' injury prevention performance mean score was 66.59 (±12.85). Family’s socioeconomic status, mother's age, educational level, and job, father's job, age, and gender of the child were the contributing factors (p less than 0.05).

Conclusions:

Most of the mothers have an appropriate level of home-injury prevention attitude but a low level of performance. Strengthening Primary Health Care system in safe communities would have a leading role in child safety promotion through increasing the mother's knowledge, attitude and performance level.

Analysis of Public-Private Partnership in Providing Primary Health Care Policy: An Experience From Iran

Background: This study aims to analyze the public-private partnership (PPP) policy in primary health care (PHC), focusing on the experience of the East Azerbaijan Province (EAP) of Iran. Methods: This research is a qualitative study. Data were gathered using interviews with stakeholders and document analysis and analyzed through content analysis. Results: Participants considered political and economic support as the most important underlying factors. Improving system efficiency was the main goal of this policy. Most stakeholders were supporters of the plan, and there was no major opponent. Implementing the health evolution plan (HEP) was an opportunity to design this policy. Participants considered the lack of provision of infrastructure as the main weakness, changing the role of the public sector as the main strength, and promoting social justice as the main achievement of policy. The results of the quantitative data review showed that following the implementation of this policy, health indicators have been improved. Conclusions: Based on the results of this study, the PPP model in EAP is a new and successful experience in PHC in Iran. Supporting and developing this policy may improve the quality and quantity of providing care.

Forty years after Alma-Ata: how people trust primary health care?

BACKGROUND

Primary Health Care (PHC) was introduced as the first level of health services delivery after Alma-Ata declaration. However, after forty years, it needs to be more trustful to achieve its predefined objectives. Public trust in PHC is one of the neglected issues in the context. The aim of this study is to evaluate public trust in PHC in Iran.

METHODS

The present investigation is a household survey conducted in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. Two-stage cluster sampling method with Probability Proportional to Size (PPS) approach was used. Totally, 1178 households were enrolled in the study. PHC trust questionnaire and Ultra-short version of Socio-Economic Status assessment questionnaire (SES-Iran) was used for data collection. Data were analyzed using STATA software (version 15) through descriptive statistics and linear regression.

RESULTS

The mean ± SD age of the participants was 41.2 ± 15.1 and most (53.7%) were female. Mean score of PHC trust was 56.9 ± 24.7 (out of 100). It was significantly different between residents of Tabriz (the capital of province) and other cities in the province (p < 0.001). Linear regression showed that younger age, gender, insurance type, being married, and households higher socio-economic status had a significant positive effect on PHC trust level with R² = 0.14383.

CONCLUSIONS

Public trust in PHC system in Iran needs to be improved. Individual variables had a small but key role in trust level. PHC trust cannot be only affected by individual's variables and experiences but also by health system and health providers' characteristics and public context in which PHC system exists. PHC trust level could be used as a public indicator in health systems especially in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC) to contribute in system strengthening policies at the national and international levels.

Home injury prevention attitude and performance: a community-based study in a designated safe community

BACKGROUND

Unintentional injuries in the home are one of the threats to childhood quality of life which is considered as a social determinant of health. Regarding mother's leading role in taking care of the children in Iranian families, the present study was conducted to investigate mothers' home-injury prevention attitude and performance and its contributing factors in Sahand safe community, East-Azerbaijan, Iran.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study conducted in 2017. Sampling was done using "Random Sampling method" among all mothers having at least one U-5 child and attended the health centers to receive childcare services. A valid attitude questionnaire and safety performance checklist were used for data collection. Data were analyzed by SPSS-24, using descriptive (frequency, mean, etc.) and inferential statistics (chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis).

RESULTS

The mean age of mothers was 30.58 (±5.01). About 65% of the mothers had primary or secondary school education. The mean score of mothers' attitude was 72.12(±6.79). More than 58% of the mothers had an appropriate level of attitude. The mothers' injury prevention performance mean score was 66.59 (±12.85). Family's socioeconomic status, mother's age, educational level, and job, father's job, age, and gender of the child were the contributing factors (p less than 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Most of the mothers have an appropriate level of home-injury prevention attitude but a low level of performance. Strengthening Primary Health Care system in safe communities would have a leading role in child safety promotion through increasing the mother's knowledge, attitude and performance level.

The Utility of rRT-PCR in Diagnosis and Assessment of Case-fatality rates of COVID-19 In the Iranian Population. Positive Test Results are a Marker for Illness Severity

The utility of PCR-based testing in characterizing patients with COVID-19 and the severity of their disease remains unknown. We performed an observational study among patients presenting to hospitals in Iran who were tested for 2019-nCoV viral RNA by rRT-PCR between the fourth week of February 2020 to the fourth week of March 2020. Frequency of symptoms, comorbidities, intubation, and mortality rates were compared between COVID-19 positive vs. negative patients. 96103 patients were tested from 879 hospitals. 18754 (19.5%) tested positive for COVID-19. Positive testing was more frequent in those 50 years or older. The prevalence of cough (54.5% vs. 49.7%), fever (49.5% vs. 44.7%), and respiratory distress (43.0% vs. 39.0%) but not hypoxia (46.9% vs. 56.7%) was higher in COVID-19 positive vs. negative patients (p<0.001 for all). More patients had cardiovascular diseases (10.6% vs. 9.5%, p<0.001) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (10.8% vs. 8.7%, p<0.001) among COVID-19 positive vs. negative patients. There were fewer patients with cancer (1.1%, vs. 1.4%, p<0.001), asthma (1.9% vs. 2.5%, p<0.001), or pregnant (0.4% vs. 0.6%, =0.001) in COVID-19 positive vs. negative groups. COVID-19 positive vs. negative patients required more intubation (7.7% vs. 5.2%, p<0.001) and had higher mortality (14.6% vs. 6.3%, p<0.001). Odds ratios for death of positive vs negative patients range from 2.01 to 3.10 across all age groups. In conclusion, COVID-19 test-positive vs. test-negative patients had more severe symptoms and comorbidities, required higher intubation, and had higher mortality. rRT-PCR positive result provided diagnosis and a marker of disease severity in Iranians.

Primary healthcare accreditation standards: a systematic review

PURPOSE

Accreditation is an essential component in primary healthcare (PHC) systems. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the most suitable PHC accreditation models and standards, worldwide, and to prepare a comprehensive and unbiased summary from research on these models.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

A systematic search was undertaken using Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, Springer, PubMed and ProQuest databases in August 2016 and updated in January 2018. English language studies addressing PHC accreditation standards and models, published between 1995 and January 2018, were included, resulting in 9051 citations. After excluding duplicates and irrelevant studies, 19 were included in the final review. Two independent reviewers critically appraised the studies. Consequently, accreditation standards in the models were extracted and compared.

FINDINGS

Results indicate that USA, Australia, Canada, UK and New Zealand (non-eastern Mediterranean regions (EMR)) and Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Egypt (EMR) had well-developed and high-quality PHC accreditation models. The Jordanian, Egyptian and Saudi models had the highest diversity in their PHC standards domains. Community-oriented care, safe care, high-quality care, care continuity and human resource management had the highest priority among PHC accreditation programs.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

The authors provide PHC accreditation benchmarks and determine high priority practical domains in accreditation standards. The findings should help health system managers and policymakers design new PHC accreditation programs and promote PHC service quality.

Association of major dietary patterns and different metabolic phenotypes: a population-based study of northwestern Iran

BACKGROUND

Finding the relationship between the major dietary patterns and cardiometabolic phenotypes could be used for planning prevention programs based on the cultural and dietary habits to prevent transient from a metabolically healthy state to an unhealthy state. So, we aimed to assess the association between dietary patterns and cardiometabolic phenotypes in the northwestern population of Iran.

METHOD

In the present cross-sectional and population-based study, 504 adults sampled by cluster sampling in East-Azerbaijan, Iran. Factor analysis was used for determining the dietary pattern. Metabolic phenotypes were determined according to body mass index (BMI) cut-off point (25 kg/m²), and the presence of the metabolic syndrome. The independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, chi-square, and multinomial regression were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

In both adjusted (OR: 2.24, 95% CI: 1.17, 4.31) and unadjusted models (OR: 3.14, 95% CI: 1.54, 5.42), the last tertile of the animal dietary pattern was associated with metabolically healthy obese (MHO) phenotypes. After adjusting, the last tertile of the animal dietary pattern was significantly associated with an increase of metabolically unhealthy obese (MUHO) phenotype (OR: 2.61, 95% CI: 1.18, 5.76).

CONCLUSION

In the present study, the animal dietary pattern was associated with MHO and MUHO phenotypes. It is suggested that some measures should be taken to strengthen nutrition education for the population and advocate a balanced diet to improve the condition.

The Effect of Health Insurance on the Utilization of Health Services: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Insurance organizations are among the most influential organizations in the health system, which can lead to healthcare efficiency and patient satisfaction in case they are increasingly accessed. The main purpose of the present systematic review was to examine the effect of health insurance on the utilization of health services and also to examine the factors affecting it. The present study was a systematic review that aimed to examine the effect of health insurance on the utilization of health care services. The study was conducted in 2016 using Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, and ProQuest databases. We examined the utilization rate of health insurance in insured people. The inclusion and exclusion criteria were included based on review and meta-analysis purposes. The utilization of health services increased for inpatient and outpatient services. The utilization rate of inpatient services increased by 0.51% whereas the utilization rate of outpatient services increased by 1.26%. We classified the variables affecting the utilization rate of insurance into three main categories and sub-categories: demographic variables of the household, socioeconomic status, and health status. Our study showed that insured people increased the utilization rate of health services, depending on the type of health services. Thus, health policymakers should consider the community's health insurance as a priority for health programs. For now, implementing universal health insurance is a good solution.

A Delphi study for exploring nutritional policy priorities to reduce prevalence of non-communicable diseases in Islamic Republic of Iran

Background: Identifying and prioritizing the most appropriate policies for enhancing nutritional habits are vital for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This study was conducted to prioritize the nutritional policies in Iran. Methods: A cross-sectional survey applying the two-round Delphi technique was used to prioritize policy options in preventing the burden of NCDs. In the first round, the experts in health and nutrition policy were asked to prioritize 21 policy options on a 5-point Likert scale. After analyzing the first-round questionnaire, the highest mean and lowest dispersion index were calculated as an indicator of high-priority options. In the second round, the policy options suggested by the participants were added to the second-round questionnaire. Finally, the questionnaires were sent to all the participants in case they desired to change their opinions. Results: The expert achieved consensus on "principles of healthy eating" courses in the curriculum of students as a high-priority policy option. In this regard, "promoting community education and customizing healthy food choice" was the next high priority policy option. On the other hand, the lowest policy priority option was "sending free/low-price healthy drinks at home". The three high priority policy categories were reformulating the content of food, enhancing the consumers' knowledge, and food labeling, respectively. Conclusion: Our findings showed that reformulation, food promotion, and food labeling had the highest priorities for preventing NCDs in Iran. Although food provision policies were cost effective in developing countries such as Iran, it is essential to provide sub-structures for the reformulation of food products.

Home injury prevention attitude and performance: a community-based study in a WHO safe community

Background:

Unintentional injuries in the home are one of the threats to childhood quality of life which is considered as a social determinant of health. Regarding mother s leading role in taking care of the children in Iranian families, the present study was conducted to investigate mothers home-injury prevention attitude and performance and its contributing factors in Sahand, Iran.

Methods:

This was a cross-sectional study conducted in 2017. Sampling was done using convenience sampling method among all mothers of children less than five years old who attended the health centers to receive child care services. A valid attitude questionnaire and safety performance checklist were used for data collection. Data were analyzed through SPSS-24 software using descriptive (Frequency, mean, etc.) and inferential statistics (chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis) method.

Results:

The average age of mothers was 30.58 (±5.01). About 65% of the mothers held high school diplomas or lower degrees. The mean score of mothers' attitude was calculated to be 72.12(±6.79). More than 58% of the mothers had an appropriate level of attitude. The mothers' injury prevention performance mean score was 66.59 (±12.85). Family socioeconomic status, Mother’s age, educational level, and job, father s job, age and gender of the child were the contributing factors (p<0.05).

Conclusions:

Most of the mothers (about 59%) had an appropriate level of home-injury prevention attitude. However, the mothers' injury prevention performance was not at an acceptable level. It is necessary to employ educational and cultural interventions in the community to lead Iranian mothers, especially mothers with sons, adopt a safe behavior.

Keywords:

Attitude, Performance, Home Injuries, Mothers

Safe and Health Promoting Community: Developing a Model

Background:

Healthy City and Safe Community programs are the most common initiatives gaining increasing appeal in various communities to improve safety and health, independently. The aim of this study is to develop a joint application model of safe community and healthy city. Here, we have tried an applied model development effort.

Methods:

A comprehensive literature review was conducted on healthy city and safe community programs in 2018. The preliminary list of joint model dimensions and topics were extracted and then assessed by the experts. Eventually, the visual model was developed and approved by the experts.

Results:

Totally, 35 safety and health promotion topics were extracted. After investigating the topics accordance, they were assessed by experts via two-rounds of Delphi study and panel sessions. Eventually a joint model comprising 14 dimensions, 3 core principles and 4 values called Safe and Health Promoting Community, SHPC_ model was developed.

Conclusions:

SHPC model provides a parallel and comprehensive view on safety and health topics in a community. The implementation of an integrated model could be one possible way to enhance the commitments on behalf of state and local government, and health system leaders to prioritize injuries and non-communicable disease prevention to address promotion, prevention, treatment and social consequences of mutual community-based interventions.

Keywords:

Safe Community, Healthy City, Joint application Model

Psychometric properties of primary health care trust questionnaire

Background

Trust has been introduced as the cornerstone of the public and health providers’ relation. Public trust in primary health care (PHC) is crucial and must be measured. The aim of this study was to develop and validate PHC trust measurement tool.

Methods

This was a psychometric study to develop PHC trust measuring tool done in Tabriz, East-Azerbaijan with participation of 600 households in 2016. Item generation was done through literature review and experts opinions. The content validity, reliability and construct validity of the PHC trust tool were assessed using several statistical methods including modified Kappa, Kendall’s Tau and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) as well as exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Data were analyzed using STATA 14 statistical software package.

Results

A 30-item questionnaire was developed. The Modified Kappa coefficient as an indicator of content validity assessment was 0.94. With respect to reliability assessment, a high internal consistency was observed with 0.98 Cronbach-Alpha score and the test–retest reliability for overall scale (assessed by ICC) was 0.94 (CI: 0.87–0.97). Exploratory factor analysis emerged 2 factors. Factor 1 consisted of 25 items accounting for 74.1% of the variance (eigenvalue = 22.47) followed by Factor 2 consisting of 5 items accounting for 19.2% of the variance (eigenvalue = 1.6).

Conclusion

PHC trust measuring tool could be used as a valid and reliable tool by health systems in Iran and similar contexts to investigate how they are trustful from the public viewpoint.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12913-019-4340-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Developing Iranian primary health care quality framework: a national study

BACKGROUND

Providing comprehensive and high-quality services is one of the most important goals of the health systems and a basic principle for Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Fulfilling this important task would be feasible through continuous evaluation and improvement of the health services quality. The aim of this study was to develop a framework for quality assessment of Primary Health Care (PHC) in Iran's health system.

METHODS

This study is a literature review which continued by a qualitative research. The extracted quality dimensions and indicators for initial screening were reviewed and discussed in two panel meetings attended by the experts with regard to the current package of health system in Iran. Using Delphi method, the dimensions and Quality Indicators(QIs) were evaluated and approved by 39 national health professionals in two rounds. Finally, after 4 panel sessions at ministerial level, the selected QIs were categorized in form of the final dimensions of the quality of care.

RESULTS

The literature review emerged 13 Primary Health Care Quality Assessment Frameworks (PHCQAF) including 20 and 698 QIs. Delphi study resulted in developing Iranian PHCQAF comprising 7 dimensions and 40 QIs. Among these, 8 QIs of the dimension of access and equity, 5 QIs of safety dimension, 2 QIs of efficiency dimension, 13 QIs of effectiveness dimension, 2 QIs of patient-centeredness dimension, 3 QIs of governance dimension and 7 QIs of appropriateness dimension were presented.

CONCLUSIONS

The presented PHCQAF can be used as a comprehensive and practical tool for continuous improvement of the quality of PHC services at local, national and regional levels. Moreover, it can give some useful information to the health managers and policy makers on how the services are provided.

Effective Factors of Utilization of Inpatient, Outpatient, Diagnostic, and Pharmaceutical Health Services: A Systematic Review

Utilization is one of the dimensions of equity in health systems. Identifying the factors affecting utilization of health services can be helpful for interventional purposes. This study systematically reviewed the factors affecting the utilization of inpatient, outpatient, diagnostic, and pharmaceutical services. This systematic review was conducted between 2016 and 2017. The search was performed using keywords based on MeSH in valid databases such as Scopus, Embase, ProQuest, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Web of Science in the fields of title, abstract, and keyword. Related papers published from 2000 to 2017 were searched. First, the retrieved studies were screened and checked for quality; then, the useful data were extracted and analyzed. Out of the 1178 retrieved publications, 20 studies were included in the final analysis. The identified factors were categorized into 5 areas, including demographic (4 items), socioeconomic (13 items), health services-related (13 items), health status-related (7 items), and health insurance-related factors (2 items), and reported. The findings of this study can be a useful source and a comprehensive body of evidence on the utilization of health services. The results can be used by the policy makers and managers in designing interventions for changing the utilization patterns of health services.

Health services utilisation and responsiveness profiles in Iran: a provincial household study

Objective

The aim of this study was to describe health services utilisation and responsiveness in East Azerbaijan province, Iran.

Design

A cross-sectional household study as part of a larger research on primary healthcare system.

Setting

We carried out the study in East Azerbaijan Province, northwest Iran from July to September 2015.

Participants

A total of 1318 households were included.

Results

Most of the participating households had social security health insurance. Heart failure or hypertension care, general outpatient care and arthritis care were the most used services. High services cost and inadequate medicine and medical equipment were introduced to be the main barriers to health services utilisation in Tabriz and province representative sample (PRS), respectively. Health system responsiveness mean score (the maximum is 100) was 33.71±16.15 (95% CI 32.45 to 34.97) in Tabriz and 32.02±14.3 (95% CI 30.9 to 33.13) in PRS, which showed significant difference (p≤0.02).

Conclusions

Differences in the utilisation and responsiveness of health services and distribution of health resources were observed between Tabriz and PRS. Evidently, health system responsiveness in both Tabriz and PRS was at low level. The results demonstrate the need for changing resource distribution policies and employing reactive health policies to response the public health.

Setting research priorities to achieve long-term health targets in Iran

Background

In 2015, it was estimated that the burden of disease in Iran comprised of 19 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), 74% of which were due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The observed leading causes of death were cardiovascular diseases (41.9%), neoplasms (14.9%), and road traffic injuries (7.4%). Even so, the health research investment in Iran continues to remain limited. This study aims to identify national health research priorities in Iran for the next five years to assist the efficient use of resources towards achieving the long-term health targets.

Methods

Adapting the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) method, this study engaged 48 prominent Iranian academic leaders in the areas related to Iran’s long-term health targets, a group of research funders and policy makers, and 68 stakeholders from the wider society. 128 proposed research questions were scored independently using a set of five criteria: feasibility, impact on health, impact on economy, capacity building, and equity.

Findings

The top-10 priorities were focused on the research questions relating to: health insurance system reforms to improve equity; integration of NCDs prevention strategy into primary health care; cost-effective population-level interventions for NCDs and road traffic injury prevention; tailoring medical qualifications; epidemiological assessment of NCDs by geographic areas; equality in the distribution of health resources and services; current and future common health problems in Iran’s elderly and strategies to reduce their economic burden; the status of antibiotic resistance in Iran and strategies to promote rational use of antibiotics; the health impacts of water crisis; and research to replace the physician-centered health system with a team-based one.

Conclusions

These findings highlight consensus amongst various prominent Iranian researchers and stakeholders over the research priorities that require investment to generate information and knowledge relevant to the national health targets and policies. The exercise should assist in addressing the knowledge gaps to support both the National General Health Policies by 2025 and the health targets of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

Development of age-sex adjusted capitation payment: The experience of Iranian public health complexes

BACKGROUND

Flat capitations are not necessarily able to compensate health providers equitably due to the variability of resource consumption among different age and sex groups. The aim of this study is to develop a risk adjusted capitation formula as a base for primary health care payment in Health Complexes of Tabriz, in Iran.

METHOD

This cross-sectional study was conducted in four stages: (1) determining health service package, (2) calculating unit cost of services, (3) estimating service utilization, and (4) calculating age/sex weighted capitation. We calculated unit cost of services with and without building and equipment expenses. Data collection was carried out through a data extraction checklist. Data management and analysis was carried out via Microsoft Excel 2007.

RESULT

A list of 99 services and their processes were identified and then assigned each to one of 10 categories according to their resource consumption. The lowest and highest unit cost, respectively, belonged to prenatal care and group training by family physicians. The risk adjusted capitation was calculated with and without renting cost of building and equipment, respectively, 347 000 and 332 000 Rials (1 US$ worth 35 000 Iranian Rials).

CONCLUSION

The development of health risk adjusted capitation could improve equity in payment system and the efficiency of delivering primary health care services. Estimated weights proposed with our study can be adapted then applied in contexts with similar characteristics.

A framework to assess management performance in district health systems: a qualitative and quantitative case study in Iran

The aim was to design a district health management performance framework for Iran's healthcare system. The mixed-method study was conducted between September 2015 and May 2016 in Tabriz, Iran. In this study, the indicators of district health management performance were obtained by analyzing the 45 semi-structured surveys of experts in the public health system. Content validity of performance indicators which were generated in qualitative part were reviewed and confirmed based on content validity index (CVI). Also content validity ratio (CVR) was calculated using data acquired from a survey of 21 experts in quantitative part. The result of this study indicated that, initially, 81 indicators were considered in framework of district health management performance and, at the end, 53 indicators were validated and confirmed. These indicators were classified in 11 categories which include: human resources and organizational creativity, management and leadership, rules and ethics, planning and evaluation, district managing, health resources management and economics, community participation, quality improvement, research in health system, health information management, epidemiology and situation analysis. The designed framework model can be used to assess the district health management and facilitates performance improvement at the district level.

Service quality from the perspective of myocardial infarction patients

OBJECTIVE

Service quality (SQ) generally refers to the nonclinical aspects of health services and primarily focuses on the relationship between the care provider and the customers, and the environment in which care services are delivered. The aim of this study was to assess the SQ provided for myocardial infarction (MI) from the patients' perspective.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 164 patients with MI at the Tabriz Shahid Madani cardiology clinic. Study participants were selected using convenience sampling. SQ was measured using a validated Comprehensive Quality Measurement in Healthcare SQ questionnaire. The reliability was confirmed based on Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α=0.81). SQ was calculated using the formula SQ=10- (importance × performance), based on the importance and performance of non-health-related aspects from the customers' perspective. Importance scores ranged from 1 to 10 and performance was scored between 0 and 1.

RESULTS

Of 164 participants, about 75% were men and almost 44% were between 51 and 65 years of age. From the customers' perspective, the total SQ score was 6.80 (0-10 scale), and the individual scores for all SQ aspects were below an acceptable level. Confidentiality, dignity and continuity were given the highest scores, while availability of support groups had the lowest score.

CONCLUSION

The study findings revealed an opportunity to improve SQ. Patient and provider participation in quality improvement activities could be an effective strategy to improve the aspects of health care quality that were most important to the customers and those with low scores, such as availability of support groups.