Zahra Jaafari, Zahra Abdolahinia, Hajar Ghasemi, Ali Esmaeilpour, Saeideh Mahmoodzadeh, Ali Bahaodini, Seyed Vahid Ahmadi Tabatabaei, Najmeh Safa, Hamid Reza Tohidinik, Ali Akbar Haghdoost, Ali Sharifi, Vahid Yazdi-Feyzabadi, Hamid Safari,
Volume 17, Issue 2 (Vol 17,No.2, Summer 2021 2021)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: low utility of health care services is one of the main determinants of not achieving desired health indicators in urban areas. This study aimed to investigate the barriers and facilitators of receiving health services from health centers in Kerman city, Iran.
Methods: This study was a qualitative study with a content analysis approach conducted in 2020. After selecting health centers with the experience of desirable or low utility services, purposive sampling continued until information saturation. A total of 78 staff members, recipients, and non-recipients of services citizens were interviewed semi-structured and face-to-face at health centers. All interviews were recorded and coded manually and then reviewed and analyzed using directional content analysis.
Results: The essential services for children and mothers, free services, and service providers' behavior were mentioned as facilitators of referral. Distance and physical factors, knowledge of different types of services, preference of private centers, time access, view of people on regular visits to centers, addresses and telephone numbers registered in the system, responsiveness to health needs, fear of disease disclosure, lack of human resources in the centers, and service providers' behavior, were among the barriers of visiting the centers.
Conclusion: According to the results of this study, an accurate understanding of the under-coverage people's views and perceptions can help national and local planners and policymakers design the necessary strategies to increase the use of health services in urban health centers.
Sahar Najafizadeh, Seyed Vahid Ahmadi Tabatabaei, Fatemeh Dehnavieh Tijang, Somayeh Noori Hekmat,
Volume 19, Issue 1 (Vol.19, No.1, Spring 2023)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Human resources play a crucial role in delivering optimal healthcare services to the population. Expanding primary healthcare coverage requires a heightened focus on the healthcare workforce due to their pivotal role in service delivery. This study aims to evaluate the current workload and staffing requirements for primary health workers and midwives in Kerman, Iran, employing the Workload Indicators of Staffing Need (WISN) methodology.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in four selected health centers in Kerman, Iran, to estimate staffing requirements across two categories. A total of 118 activities for primary health workers and 89 activities for midwives were identified through the collaboration of expert panels and a comprehensive review of the Iran’s integrated health system. Subsequently, all activities were meticulously timed in each of the four health centers using stopwatches, and WISN ratios and proportions were calculated using Microsoft Excel 2010.
Results: The WISN calculations revealed a surplus in the number of primary health workers in three of the centers: B, C, and D. However, in center A, the workforce in this category is deemed sufficient. Conversely, a deficiency of midwives was noted in two centers, A and B, with WISN ratios of 0.67 and 0.50, respectively, while center C demonstrated an excess of the workforce with a WISN ratio of 2.00. Notably, an average of 50% of the staff workload in both categories comprises supportive and additional activities.
Conclusion: Interestingly, despite 75% of the cases indicating an excess or sufficiency of employees, staff members continue to grapple with high work pressures. This anomaly appears to be linked to the substantial volume of support and additional activities. Furthermore, the intense workload during specific days and hours translates into a pervasive sense of pressure throughout the week. As a potential remedy, introducing a queuing system into the primary healthcare sector could alleviate this issue.
Niloufar Bahrampour, Seyed Vahid Ahmadi Tabatabaei, Maryam Faraji, Aliakbar Haghdoost,
Volume 21, Issue 1 (Vol.21, No.1, Spring 2025)
Abstract
ackground and Objectives: Waste refers to solid, liquid, and gaseous materials (excluding sewage) generated from human activities and considered discardable by the producer. The production of household waste also rises with the increase in population. Therefore, evaluating the effects of household waste management on health is a critical issue. Effective interventions can be implemented to mitigate its impacts by identifying the problems and risks associated with this type of waste.
Methods: This study is a scoping review aimed at health impact assessment of household waste management. In this study, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science electronic databases were searched in English between 2014 and 2024, and the results were entered into Endnote software and screened.
Results: From the initial search of 3,504 studies, 109 full-text articles were ultimately included in the review. The results indicated that most of the research was conducted in developing countries. The primary data collection tools were laboratory samples, and most of the studies were quantitative. Most of these studies have focused on the effects of household waste management on physical health, while the least explored dimension was spiritual health.
Conclusion: This study shows that household waste management, in addition to its effects on physical health and environmental pollution, can affect mental, social, and spiritual health. Therefore, by identifying these effects, we should seek solutions for better household waste management to minimize negative health effects.
