Sina Azadnajafabad, Sahar Saeedi Moghaddam, Esmaeil Mohammadi, Negar Rezaei, Nazila Rezaei, Shohreh Naderimagham, Rosa Haghshenas, Erfan Ghasemi, Yosef Farzi, Elham Abdolhamidi, Sahar Mohammadi Fateh, Hossein Zokaei, Ameneh Kazemi, Ozra Tabatabaei-Malazy, Farshad Farzadfar, Bagher Larijani,
Volume 20, Issue 1 (25th Anniversary of the Foundation, Special Issue 2021)
Abstract
Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) are the major cause of premature death and disability due to diseased globally, imposing a heavy burden on the health systems. Four main categories of NCDs are cardiovascular diseases, neoplasms, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases. Iran, the second greatest country in the Middle East Region, has been through an important transition period of communicable diseases toward NCDs in the last decades. One of the effective approaches to control NCDs is implementation of population-based studies and interventions, trying to reduce risk factors and incidence of NCDs through investigations in the populations. Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Institute (EMRI) and Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center (NCDRC) are the pioneers trying to study and control various NCDs during the last decades in Iran. In this review, we are going to inspect some of the major completed and ongoing projects of this research institute to highlight valuable efforts to reduce burden of NCDs in Iran, and make a successful example for national and regional public health policy makers and authorities.
Ozra Tabatabaei-Malazy, Yosra Azizpour, Narges Rostamigooran, Maryam Ghiasipour, Mohammad Esmaeel Motlagh, Shadi Naderyan Feˈli, Samaneh Akbarpour, Haniye Sadat Sajadi,
Volume 26, Issue 1 (4-2026)
Abstract
Background: National Document for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Related Risk Factors, developed in 2015, serves as Iran’s roadmap for guiding health policies to manage NCDs. After a decade, assessing its implementation and progress is essential. We aimed to review and synthesize existing evidence on the implementation status of the document’s interventions, and identify facilitators, barriers, and strategies to enhance its execution.
Methods: Following the PRISMA-ScR 2020 checklist, a systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, SID databases, Google Scholar, organizational repositories, and reference lists of related studies in Persian and English. Research or review studies that evaluated at least one objective or intervention of the national document—using health or health system indicators in Iran—were included. Three researchers independently performed screening and data extraction. Data were analyzed narratively and organized into thematic categories.
Results: Overall, 78 studies, reports, and national documents were included. Implemented actions encompassed establishing committees, developing action plans, integrating services into the health system, revising standards, producing educational materials, launching registries, and signing multisectoral cooperation agreements. Facilitators included legal support, intersectoral collaboration capacities, service delivery structures, and community capabilities. Major challenges were deficiencies in the national document, limited resources, weak coordination, and external disruptions such as COVID-19 and sanctions. Recommended strategies emphasized strengthening cost-effective interventions, continuous monitoring, securing sustainable resources, improving service delivery models, and enhancing multi-sectoral approaches.
Conclusion: Successful implementation of NCD prevention and control policies requires evidence-informed policymaking, prioritization of cost-effective interventions, ongoing evaluation, and sustained managerial support.
