Showing 5 results for Heidari
Ar Heidari, Ar Mirahmadizadeh, A Keshtkaran, M Javanbakht, K Etemad, M Lotfi,
Volume 9, Issue 1 (14 2011)
Abstract
Background and Aim: AIDS is a lethal disease, for which there is no treatment or any vaccine to prevent it. The injection-drug use and unprotected sexual behavior are two factors important in HIV transmission. This study was conducted to determine changes in high-risk sexual and injection-drug use behaviors associated with HIV among drug users referring to Methadone Maintenance Treatment centers in Shiraz, Iran.
Materials and Methods: This before-after interventional study with no control group included drug-users (n=694) referring to all the 7 MMT centers in Shiraz, Iran in 2009. The data were collected by interviewing patients and using a questionnaire. The software used for data analysis was SPSS 15, the statistical test being the Wilcoxon test.
Results: The average age of the clients was 36.5 ± 9.5 years. Most of them were males (% 92.1) and single (% 43.1). 37.3 % of them being injection-drug users. The proportion of the injection-drug users having had at least one shared injection one week before referring to an MMT center was 23.3%, which decreased to 9.2% after one week. Analysis of the data also showed that 25.2% of the addicts had had at least one unprotected sexual contact during the previous month the proportion decreased to 21.0% one month after referring to an MMT center. The reductions in the mean numbers of both shared injections and unprotected sexual contacts were statistically significant (p <0.001).
Conclusion: Considering the effectiveness of the MMT centers in reducing risky behaviors of injection-drug users, it is essential to expand these centers at both the national and regional levels quantitatively and qualitatively and encourage drug-users to refer to them and seek help. This will help greatly in the prevention of HIV.
Alireza Heidari, Mohammad Arab, Kourosh Etemad, Behzad Damari, Mansoureh Lotfi,
Volume 16, Issue 2 (9-2018)
Abstract
Background and Aim: The purpose of phenylketonuria (PKU) screening is to assess the risk of, and prevent, the disease in the newborns likely inflicted with it. The aim of this study was to investigate why and how PKU screening was decided to be included in the national health agenda, initiated and implemented in Iran.
Materials and Methods: This qualitative study was conducted based on the Kingdon’s framework model in 2015. The participants were thirty-eight policy-makers, managers and researchers selected by purposeful sampling.Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed using framework analysis.
Results: The physical and mental disabilities, medical and maintenance costs and the need for rehabilitation services were examples of the problem stream. In addition, sampling based on the National Congenital Hypothyroidism Program and implementation feasibility at the national level were examples of the policy stream. Finally, pressure by the patients' families, the Scientific Children Association and executive managers were examples of the political will stream. When the three streams occurred simultaneously, health policy-makers agreed to implement the program and then was opened the window of opportunity.
Conclusion: Successful implementation of the National Phenylketonuria Screening Program in Iran has been the result of interactions among three streams, namely, nature of the problem, political will and optimal use of policy-makers of the window of opportunity opened.
Behzad Damari, Alireza Heidari, Habib Allah Masoudi Farid, Arezoo Zokaei,
Volume 18, Issue 3 (11-2020)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Prostitution is one of the alarming social harms in any population with considerable challenges and concerns. Many prostitutes have been victims of unfavorable social conditions. The purpose of this study was to determine and explain the goals, service patterns, challenges and proposed solutions for the Program of Rehabilitation of Socially Harmed Women in the Iranian Welfare Organization (IWO).
Materials and Methods: A qualitative study was conducted in 2016. The participants included managers and experts of the general departments of the IWO in 31 provinces, 21 members of public mediators and stakeholder organizations, and 5 senior staff managers and senior experts of the IWO Deputy Director’s Office for Social Affairs. Data were collected using document analysis and in-depth individual interviews and focus group discussions and analyzed using the content analysis method.
Results: Based on the data collected, the challenges of the program implementation were found to be as follows: non-acceptance of these women by the society, identity problems of the children borne to them (legally), poor chances of employment, sexual abuse of the women by the employers and mental disorders of the women, as well as poor intersectoral collaboration in IWO and lack of sufficient manpower. Proposed solutions for improvement of the situation included increasing financial credits, creating a national database, informing and sensitizing the people and approving some new judicial laws, as well as reforming some of the existing judicial laws.
Conclusion: Despite the services delivered in this national program, the program faces challenges at the government and public levels. In order to improve the current situation, it is essential to apply the proposed solutions, as well as review and modify the relevant processes.
Mohammad Javad Kabir, Alireza Heidari, Nahid Jafari, Zahra Khatirnamani, Mohammad Reza Honarvar, Naser Behnampour,
Volume 19, Issue 4 (3-2022)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Using a proper method to prioritize and develop a basic health services package is a serious challenge. This study was conducted to design a process for developing and revising a basic health services package in Iran.
Materials and Methods: A combined study of quantitative and qualitative methods was used in this study. The qualitative part was conducted through holding 25 in-depth individual interviews and two focus group discussions with experts from the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Program and Budget Organization and insurance organizations, while the quantitative part was a descriptive cross-sectional study including 277 experts using a valid and reliable questionnaire. Data analysis of the qualitative and quantitative parts was done using a content analysis and the SPSS-23 software, respectively.
Results: The process of developing a basic health services package includes 4 steps, namely, explaining the list of services in the basic health services package, extracting the criteria for including services in the service package, prioritizing the criteria for including services in the package, and comparing services with priority criteria. In the prioritization stage, disease burden criteria, target groups and community needs were found to have the highest means and recognized as the most important criteria.
Conclusion: The process designed in this study for developing and revising a basic health services package provides policymakers with the required scientific evidence by emphasizing the introduction and continuity of services that have higher priorities and the elimination of services that have lower priorities.
Ali Mohammad Mosadeghrad, Mahya Abbasi, Mahdi Abbasi, Mahdieh Heidari,
Volume 20, Issue 4 (3-2023)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Health system financing is the process of collecting, pooling, and allocating financial resources to maintain, restore or promote the health of the people. Developing countries face many challenges in mobilizing, managing and allocating health financial resources. The aim of this study was to identify sustainable financing methods in developing countries.
Materials and Methods: This study was conducted using the scoping review. All the studies related to health system financing methods in developing countries were searched in the English electronic databases (i.e., Pubmed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Web of science), Persian electronic databases (i.e., Magiran, Iranmedex, and SID) and Google Scholar and Google search engines using appropriate keywords. Finally, 94 suitable documents were selected and analyzed using the framework analysis method and MAXQDA software.
Results: Forty-two methods were identified to strengthen the sustainability and resilience of the health financing system in developing countries; these methods were grouped into three categories: collection and management of financial resources, pooling of financial resources and purchasing of health services. The most frequently used solutions to strengthen the sustainability of the health financing system in developing countries were as follows: expanding social health insurance plans, integrating multiple health insurance plans, strengthening public-private partnerships, establishing a robust referral system, imposing taxes on harmful commodities, using perspective fixed payment methods, defining needs-based health service packages, promoting donors’ contributions, and reforming health service tariffs.
Conclusion: The health financing system in developing countries should be strengthened. The financial reforms of the health system should be accompanied by reforms in providing health services to make possible efficient and effective results. Health policymakers and senior managers should strengthen the governance of the health financing system at the macro level. In addition, healthcare managers should increase the efficiency and reduce resource wastage by strengthening budget capacity and financial management at the micro level.
