Inequality in geographical distribution of hospitals and hospital beds in densely populated metropolitan cities of Iran

Distinct effects of early-stage and late-stage socioeconomic factors on brain and behavioral traits

Socioeconomic status (SES) is a time-varying multidimensional construct with ill-defined dimension-specific and age-specific effects on brain and behavior. We investigated these effects in 4,228 young adults. From 16 socioeconomic indicators, assessed for early (0-10 years) and late (>10 years) stages, we constructed family, provincial, family adverse and neighborhood adverse socioeconomic dimensions. Generally, family SES was associated with brain structure and connectivity along with cognitive function, whereas family adverse and neighborhood adverse SES were associated with personality and emotion. Most associations were observed for both early and late-stage SES; however, adjusting for the effect of early stage SES revealed late-stage-specific SES effects. Changes in SES were associated with personality and cognitive function. Cerebellar and medial frontal volumes and functional connectivity within the left frontoparietal network mediated the associations between family SES and memory and openness. These results inform both more precise interventions for reducing the consequences of adverse SES and experimental designs for excluding confounding socioeconomic effects on human health.

High prevalence of zero-dose children in underserved and special setting populations in Ethiopia using a generalize estimating equation and concentration index analysis

BACKGROUND

Globally, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2023 report, more than 14.3 million children in low- and middle-income countries, primarily in Africa and South-East Asia, are not receiving any vaccinations. Ethiopia is one of the top ten countries contributing to the global number of zero-dose children.

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the prevalence of zero-dose children and associated factors in underserved populations of Ethiopia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional vaccine coverage survey was conducted in June 2022. The study participants were mothers of children aged 12-35 months. Data were collected using the CommCare application system and later analysed using Stata version 17. Vaccination coverage was estimated using a weighted analysis approach. A generalized estimating equation model was fitted to determine the predictors of zero-dose children. An adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) and a p-value of 0.05 or less was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of zero-dose children in the study settings was 33.7% (95% CI: 34.9%, 75.7%). Developing and pastoralist regions, internally displaced peoples, newly formed regions, and conflict-affected areas had the highest prevalence of zero-dose children. Wealth index (poorest [AOR = 2.78; 95% CI: 1.70, 4.53], poorer [AOR = 1.96; 95% CI: 1.02, 3.77]), single marital status [AOR = 2.4; 95% CI: 1.7, 3.3], and maternal age (15-24 years) [AOR = 1.2; 95% CI: 1.1, 1.3] were identified as key determinant factors of zero-dose children in the study settings. Additional factors included fewer than four Antenatal care visits (ANC) [AOR = 1.3; 95% CI: 1.2, 1.4], not receiving Postnatal Care (PNC) services [AOR = 2.1; 95% CI: 1.5, 3.0], unavailability of health facilities within the village [AOR = 3.7; 95% CI: 2.6, 5.4], women-headed household [AOR = 1.3; 95% CI:1.02, 1.7], low gender empowerment [AOR = 1.6; 95% CI: 1.3, 2.1], and medium gender empowerment [AOR = 1.7; 95% CI: 1.2, 2.5].

CONCLUSION

In the study settings, the prevalence of zero-dose children is very high. Poor economic status, disempowerment of women, being unmarried, young maternal age, and underutilizing antenatal or post-natal services are the important predictors. Therefore, it is recommended to target tailored integrated and context-specific service delivery approach. Moreover, extend immunization sessions opening hours during the evening/weekend in the city administrations to meet parents' needs.

Reduced economic disparity in biologics use for psoriasis after introducing the reducing copayment program

Biologics for psoriasis are efficient and safe, but very expensive. We investigated the association of the reducing copayment program (RCP) with changes in biologics use patterns depending on the income levels of patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis. This nationwide cohort study included patients identified as having moderate-to-severe psoriasis between 2014 and 2020. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratio for the use of biologics according to income levels. Among 57,139 patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis, 3464 (6.1%) used biologics for psoriasis from 2014 to 2020. After the introduction of RCP in 2017, the proportion of patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis using biologics rapidly increased from 5.0% in 2016 to 19.2% in 2020; the increase was more remarkable in patients with the lowest or mid-low income compared to those with Medical Aid. Drug survival of biologics was higher in patients with the highest income before the RCP, but became comparable between those with high and low incomes after RCP introduction. The introduction of RCP was associated with an increased use of biologics in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis of all income levels; however, the effect was more pronounced in low-income patients. The RCP may contribute to alleviating the disparity in access to biologics.

Revealing spatiotemporal inequalities, hotspots, and determinants in healthcare resource distribution: insights from hospital beds panel data in 2308 Chinese counties

BACKGROUND

Ensuring universal health coverage and equitable access to health services requires a comprehensive understanding of spatiotemporal heterogeneity in healthcare resources, especially in small areas. The absence of a structured spatiotemporal evaluation framework in existing studies inspired us to propose a conceptual framework encompassing three perspectives: spatiotemporal inequalities, hotspots, and determinants.

METHODS

To demonstrate our three-perspective conceptual framework, we employed three state-of-the-art methods and analyzed 10 years' worth of Chinese county-level hospital bed data. First, we depicted spatial inequalities of hospital beds within provinces and their temporal inequalities through the spatial Gini coefficient. Next, we identified different types of spatiotemporal hotspots and coldspots at the county level using the emerging hot spot analysis (Getis-Ord Gi* statistics). Finally, we explored the spatiotemporally heterogeneous impacts of socioeconomic and environmental factors on hospital beds using the Bayesian spatiotemporally varying coefficients (STVC) model and quantified factors' spatiotemporal explainable percentages with the spatiotemporal variance partitioning index (STVPI).

RESULTS

Spatial inequalities map revealed significant disparities in hospital beds, with gradual improvements observed in 21 provinces over time. Seven types of hot and cold spots among 24.78% counties highlighted the persistent presence of the regional Matthew effect in both high- and low-level hospital bed counties. Socioeconomic factors contributed 36.85% (95% credible intervals [CIs]: 31.84-42.50%) of county-level hospital beds, while environmental factors accounted for 59.12% (53.80-63.83%). Factors' space-scale variation explained 75.71% (68.94-81.55%), whereas time-scale variation contributed 20.25% (14.14-27.36%). Additionally, six factors (GDP, first industrial output, local general budget revenue, road, river, and slope) were identified as the spatiotemporal determinants, collectively explaining over 84% of the variations.

CONCLUSIONS

Three-perspective framework enables global policymakers and stakeholders to identify health services disparities at the micro-level, pinpoint regions needing targeted interventions, and create differentiated strategies aligned with their unique spatiotemporal determinants, significantly aiding in achieving sustainable healthcare development.

Non-COVID-19 hospitalization and mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran: a longitudinal assessment of 41 million people in 2019-2022

BACKGROUND

During a COVID-19 pandemic, it is imperative to investigate the outcomes of all non-COVID-19 diseases. This study determines hospital admissions and mortality rates related to non-COVID-19 diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic among 41 million Iranians.

METHOD

This nationwide retrospective study used data from the Iran Health Insurance Organization. From September 23, 2019, to Feb 19, 2022, there were four study periods: pre-pandemic (Sept 23-Feb 19, 2020), first peak (Mar 20-Apr 19, 2020), first year (Feb 20, 2020-Feb 18, 2021), and the second year (Feb 19, 2021-Feb 19, 2022) following the pandemic. Cause-specific hospital admission and in-hospital mortality are the main outcomes analyzed based on age and sex. Negative binomial regression was used to estimate the monthly adjusted Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) to compare hospital admission rates in aggregated data. A logistic regression was used to estimate the monthly adjusted in-hospital mortality Odds Ratio (OR) for different pandemic periods.

RESULTS

During the study there were 6,522,114 non-COVID-19 hospital admissions and 139,679 deaths. Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, the standardized hospital admission rate per million person-month was 7115.19, which decreased to 2856.35 during the first peak (IRR 0.40, [0.25-0.64]). In-hospital mortality also increased from 20.20 to 31.99 (OR 2.05, [1.97-2.13]). All age and sex groups had decreased admission rates, except for females at productive ages. Two years after the COVID-19 outbreak, the non-COVID-19 hospital admission rate (IRR 1.25, [1.13-1.40]) and mortality rate (OR 1.05, [1.04-1.07]) increased compared to the rates before the pandemic. The respiratory disease admission rate decreased in the first (IRR 0.23, [0.17-0.31]) and second years (IRR 0.35, [0.26-0.47] compared to the rate before the pandemic. There was a significant reduction in hospitalizations for pneumonia (IRR 0.30, [0.21-0.42]), influenza (IRR 0.04, [0.03-0.06]) and COPD (IRR 0.39, [0.23-0.65]) during the second year. There was a significant and continuous rise in the hematological admission rate during the study, reaching 186.99 per million person-month in the second year, reflecting an IRR of 2.84 [2.42-3.33] compared to the pre-pandemic period. The mortality rates of mental disorders (OR 2.15, [1.65-2.78]) and musculoskeletal (OR 1.48, [1.20-1.82), nervous system (OR 1.42, [1.26-1.60]), metabolic (OR 1.99, [1.80-2.19]) and circulatory diseases (OR 1.35, [1.31-1.39]) increased in the second year compare to pre-pandemic. Myocardial infarction (OR 1.33, [1.19-1.49]), heart failure (OR 1.59, [1.35-1.87]) and stroke (OR 1.35, [1.24-1.47]) showed an increase in mortality rates without changes in hospitalization.

CONCLUSIONS

In the era of COVID-19, the changes seem to have had a long-term effect on non-COVID-19 diseases. Countries should prepare for similar crises in the future to ensure medical services are not suspended.

Changes in emergency department visits and mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic: a retrospective analysis of 956 hospitals

BACKGROUND

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many non-COVID-19 emergency department (ED) visits were indirectly affected. ED visits and mortality were assessed during different pandemic time periods compared with pre-pandemic.

METHODS

The study used data from 41 million Iran Health Insurance Organization members. The outcomes were non-COVID-19 ED visits and associated mortality in 956 hospitals. An analysis of ED visits was conducted both for all-cause and cause-specific conditions: cardiovascular diseases (CVD), mental and substance use disorders, unintentional injuries, and self-harm. In addition, total in-hospital ED mortality was analyzed. A negative binomial regression and a Poisson regression with a log link were used to estimate the incidence rate ratio (IRR) of visits and mortality relative risk (RR).

RESULTS

1,789,831 ED visits and 12,377 deaths were reported during the study. Pre-pandemic (Sep 2019 to Feb 2020), there were 2,767 non-COVID-19 visits rate per million person-month, which decreased to 1,884 during the first COVID-19 wave with a national lockdown from Feb 20 to Apr 19, 2020 (IRR 0.68, [0.56-0.84]). The non-COVID-19 ED mortality risk was 8.17 per 1,000 visit-month during the pre-pandemic period, rising to 12.80 during the first wave of COVID-19 (RR 1.57, [1.49-165]). Non-COVID-19 ED visit rates decreased during the first pandemic year from Sep 2020 to Feb 2021 (IRR 0.73, [0.63-0.86]), but increased after COVID-19 vaccination two years later from Sep 2021 to Feb 2022 (IRR 1.11, [0.96-0.17]). The total ED mortality risk for non-COVID-19 was significantly higher after the COVID-19 outbreak in the first (RR 1.66, [1.59-1.72]) and second years (RR 1.27, [1.22-1.32]) of the pandemic. The visit incidence rate for mental health and substance use disorders declined from 8.18 per million person-month to 4.57 (IRR 0.53, [0.32 to 0.90]) in the first wave. In the second year, unintentional injury visits increased significantly compared with pre-pandemic (IRR 1.63, [1.30-2.03]). As compared to before the pandemic, there was no significant change in CVD and self-harm visit rates during the pandemic. Cardiac arrest was the leading cause of death in Iran hospitals' EDs.

CONCLUSION

In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, non-COVID-19 hospital ED visits declined and mortality risk increased. Despite two years since the COVID-19 outbreak, non-COVID-19 ED mortality risk remains high.

The impact of the Iranian health transformation plan policy on equitable access to medical imaging services in West Iran

OBJECTIVE

Equity in the delivery of health services, including diagnostic imaging, is crucial to achieving universal health coverage. The Health Transformation Plan (HTP), launched in 2014, represents a major healthcare policy to improve the quality and accessibility of healthcare services. This study aimed to explore the impact of the HTP on equity in the access to medical imaging in Lorestan province, located in west Iran, from 2014 to 2023. Annual growth rates (AGR) of imaging devices were calculated, whilst equity assessment of medical imaging distribution was carried out by means of the Gini coefficient and the Lorenz curve per 100,000 population. The latter was generated using the cumulative distribution of imaging devices, as well as the cumulative population ratio.

RESULTS

Between 2014 and 2023, the number of imaging devices has increased threefold. The AGR of installing CT and MRI scanners in Lorestan province increased between 2014 and 2023. The Gini coefficients increased from 0.12 for CT and 0.16 for MRI in 2014 to 0.33 in 2023 for both devices. This indicates a decrease in equity in access to these fundamental health technologies despite the increase in their figures. Policymakers should better allocate medical equipment based on the specific health needs of different regions throughout Iran.

Length of Hospital Stay and Its Related Factors in Iran: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

One of the effective indicators used to determine the efficiency and optimal use of hospital resources is the length of stay (LOS). Then, we aimed to determine LOS and its related factors in Iran.

Methods

A systematic literature review was conducted according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines using the online databases; Medline, EMBASE, Scopus, PubMed, SID, MagIran, and Medlib from 1995 to 2022 using a combination of medical subject. STATA version 11 used for data analysis.

Results

Overall, 75 (cross-sectional, cohort, and case-control) reports were identified. The average length of stay in Iranian hospitals was 6.7 (95% CI: 5.32 -7.74) d. There was a significant relationship between the length of stay in the hospital and different wards of hospital (P=0.001). The average of men' LOS was longer than women were [6.9 (95% CI: 5.32 -7.74) vs. 3.9 (95% CI: 1.67-9.41)]. Moreover, the average LOS before and after the Health Transformation Plan (HTP) in Iran has changed, so that it has increased from 5.8 (95% CI: 4.39 -7.86) to 7.1 (95% CI: 5.59 -9.25) d after HTP (P=0.30).

Conclusion

The average length of stay of patients in Iranian hospitals is more than the expected index of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education and is in the unfavorable range (> four days). Moreover, considering the direct effect of the type of departments on LOS; therefore, hospital managers should pay more attention to hospital processes using new process-oriented and customer-oriented management approaches.

Implementation of Aceh Health Insurance (Jaminan Kesehatan Aceh) 2013-2021: Has health equity been achieved for all Acehnese after armed conflict?

Aceh Health Insurance (Jaminan Kesehatan Aceh-JKA) has been implemented since 2010 to increase the health equity by covering the health expenses and guaranteeing that all Acehnese are covered regardless of their economic, educational, and social statuses. However, since its implementation, there has been no study on its impact on health quality, particularly regarding the utilization of the main referral hospital (Dr Zainoel Abidin Hospital located in Banda Aceh) and the effects of the geographic accessibility and the number of specialist doctors in each regency/city on hospital utilization. This retrospective study assessed the equity factors during the Aceh Health Insurance implementation and during its integration to National Health Insurance (Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional-JKN) from 2013 to 2021 using data of travel time (time spent for travelling from the origin regency/city of referred patients to the main referral center) and healthcare resources (number of specialist doctors). The data were analyzed using Student's t-tests, Kolmogorov-Smirnov or Mann-Whitney U test when appropriate. Williamson Index was calculated to determine the disparities of health equity between regencies. Our data indicated the noticeably increase of health facilities utilization since the implantation of Aceh Health Insurance. However, there was no equity in the use of main referral facility by the residents in Aceh - was dominated by residents who lived closer and from more populated regencies/cities. In conclusion, there are accessibility and financial hardship barriers in accessing the health care facilities during the implementation of Aceh Health Insurance that need to be addressed by the government to achieve the health equity for all Acehnese.

A Survey of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring Status in China

OBJECTIVE

To understand the status of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) in China Mainland, and thus lay down the foundation for further improvement in TDM.

METHODS

In the present study, a nationwide questionnaire survey was conducted, which was distributed and collected using a mobile-based application. Clinicians, pharmacists, and clinical laboratory physicians belonging to different levels of public hospitals were involved as subjects/objects. The contents of the survey included TDM implementation in their hospital and information regarding their opinions and suggestions on TDM work. Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the difference between top tertiary hospitals and non-top tertiary hospitals.

RESULTS

A total of 475 questionnaires were collected, 383 from top tertiary hospitals (3A hospitals) and 92 from non-top tertiary hospitals (other than 3A hospitals). A total of 240 clinicians, TDM pharmacists, and clinical laboratory physicians were involved, with an effective rate of 50.5%. Top tertiary hospitals were associated with certain advantages, such as the number of TDM testing facilities, annual sample size, number of monitoring varieties, and interpretation rate of monitoring reports, compared with non-top tertiary hospitals. In particular, β-lactamase inhibitor, olanzapine, carbamazepine, and glucocorticoids seemed to be the main projects that clinicians wanted to assess. The drugs for which TDM was commonly performed included vancomycin, valproic acid, carbamazepine, phenytoin sodium, and methotrexate. The most commonly used detection methods include high-performance liquid chromatography, immunization, 2D-LC, and LC-MS. The monitoring concentration range was found to be inconsistent for most of the drugs. Currently, no unified regulation exists for TDM charges in China, which is no more than ¥200 in general. Clinicians rely on pharmacists for professional guidance. Importantly, improvement in the interpretation of monitoring reports, proficiency testing, and cooperation with clinical departments may aid in improving the level of TDM service.

CONCLUSIONS

This survey objectively reflected the current status of TDM work in hospitals in China, and provided a strong reference base for devising strategies for improvement and effective execution of TDM work.

Healthy Cities, A comprehensive dataset for environmental determinants of health in England cities

This paper presents a fine-grained and multi-sourced dataset for environmental determinants of health collected from England cities. We provide health outcomes of citizens covering physical health (COVID-19 cases, asthma medication expenditure, etc.), mental health (psychological medication expenditure), and life expectancy estimations. We present the corresponding environmental determinants from four perspectives, including basic statistics (population, area, etc.), behavioural environment (availability of tobacco, health-care services, etc.), built environment (road density, street view features, etc.), and natural environment (air quality, temperature, etc.). To reveal regional differences, we extract and integrate massive environment and health indicators from heterogeneous sources into two unified spatial scales, i.e., at the middle layer super output area (MSOA) and the city level, via big data processing and deep learning. Our data holds great promise for diverse audiences, such as public health researchers and urban designers, to further unveil the environmental determinants of health and design methodology for a healthy, sustainable city.

Inequalities in the prevalence, diagnosis awareness, treatment coverage and effective control of diabetes: a small area estimation analysis in Iran

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to assess geographic inequalities in the prevalence, awareness of diagnosis, treatment coverage and effective control of diabetes in 429 districts of Iran.

METHODS

A modelling study by the small area estimation method, based on a nationwide cross-sectional survey, Iran STEPwise approach to surveillance (STEPS) 2016, was performed. The modelling estimated the prevalence, awareness of diagnosis, treatment coverage, and effective control of diabetes in all 429 districts of Iran based on data from available districts. The modelling results were provided in different geographical and socio-economic scales to make the comparison possible across the country.

RESULTS

In 2016, the prevalence of diabetes ranged from 3.2 to 19.8% for women and 2.4 to 19.1% for men. The awareness of diagnosis ranged from 51.9 to 95.7% for women and 35.7 to 100% for men. The rate of treatment coverage ranged from 37.2 to 85.6% for women and 24.4 to 80.5% for men. The rate of effective control ranged from 12.1 to 63.6% for women and 12 to 73% for men. The highest treatment coverage rates belonged to Ardebil for women and Shahr-e-kord for men. The highest effective control rates belonged to Sanandaj for women and Nehbandan for men. Across Iran districts, there were considerable differences between the highest and lowest rates of prevalence, diagnosis awareness, treatment coverage, and effective control of diabetes. The concentration indices of diabetes prevalence, awareness of diagnosis, and treatment coverage were positive and significant for both sexes.

CONCLUSION

Findings of this study highlight the existence of inequalities in diagnosis awareness, treatment coverage, and effective control of diabetes in all Iran regions. More suitable population-wide strategies and policies are warranted to handle these inequalities in Iran.

Regional disparities and influencing factors of high quality medical resources distribution in China

BACKGROUND

With the gradual increase of residents' income and the continuous improvement of medical security system, people's demand for pursuing higher quality and better medical and health services has been released. However, so far little research has been published on China's high quality medical resources (HQMR). This study aims to understand the spatiotemporal variation trend of HQMR from 2006 to 2020, analyze regional disparity of HQMR in 2020, and further explore the main factors influencing the distribution of HQMR in China.

METHODS

The study selected Class III level A hospitals (the highest level medical institutions in China) to represent HQMR. Descriptive statistical methods were used to address the changes in the distribution of HQMR from 2006 to 2020. Lorentz curve, Gini coefficient (G), Theil index (T) and High-quality health resource density index (HHRDI) were used to calculate the degree of inequity. The geographical detector method was used to reveal the key factors influencing the distribution of HQMR.

RESULTS

The total amount of HQMR in China had increased year by year, from 647 Class III level A hospitals in 2006 to 1580 in 2020. In 2020, G for HQMR by population was 0.166, while by geographic area was 0.614. T was consistent with the results for G, and intra-regional contribution rates were higher than inter-regional contribution rates. HHRDI showed that Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin had the highest allocated amounts of HQMR. The results of the geographical detector showed that total health costs, government health expenditure, size of resident populations, GDP, number of medical colleges had a significant impact on the spatial distribution of HQMR and the q values were 0.813, 0.781, 0.719, 0.661, 0.492 respectively. There was an interaction between the influencing factors.

CONCLUSIONS

China's total HQMR is growing rapidly but is relatively inadequate. The distribution of HQMR by population is better than by geography, and the distribution by geography is less equitable. Population size and geographical area both need to be taken into account when formulating policies, rather than simply increasing the number of HQMR.

Help-seeking strategies and treatment experiences among individuals diagnosed with Bipolar Spectrum Disorder in Iran: A qualitative study

Social, cultural, and structural factors are associated with delays in seeking help from mental health professionals and poor treatment adherence among patients with mood disorders. This qualitative study examined the perspectives on the services and response to treatments of individuals diagnosed with Bipolar Spectrum Disorder (BSD) in Iran through 37 in-depth semi-structured interviews with patients who had received BSD diagnosis and treatment (excluding Bipolar-I). Interviews explored two broad areas: 1) coping and help-seeking strategies; and 2) barriers to treatment and expectations of outcomes from treatment. Multiple factors influenced the help-seeking strategies and trajectories of patients with BSD diagnoses in Iran, including: structural limitations of the mental healthcare system; modes of practice of biological psychiatry; characteristics of the official psychology and counseling services permitted by Iran's government; popular psychology and consultation (offered through social media from the diaspora) by Iranian psychologists and counsellors in the diaspora; and alternative spiritual and cult-based groups. To improve the quality and accessibility of mental health services, it is essential to have structural changes in the healthcare system that prioritize human rights and individuals' values over the political and ideological values of the state and changes in the professions that promote secular training of mental healthcare providers and an ecosocial model of care.

Designing A National Model of Medical Facilities Fair Distribution for Iranian Social Security Organization: Design National Model of Medical Facilities Fair Distribution in the ISSO

Background: Fair Distribution of Medical Facilities is one of the most critical issues affecting economic and health indicators. Iranian Social Security Organization (ISSO) is a non-governmental organization responsible for providing medical services to insured individuals in 77 hospitals, 265 polyclinics, and clinics that has faced much demand from the insured to build a new medical center. So, Due to the significant role of ISSO in meeting the medical needs and its high coverage (almost 42%) in Iran, we aimed to identify the factors influencing medical facilities' fair distribution in the ISSO. Materials and Methods: This applied study was conducted as a descriptive study in the ISSO in 2018. Variables affecting medical facilities distribution were elicited from the literature review and through an interview with 16 experts who were occupied in the healthcare management field. Then, a Likert scale-based questionnaire with 56 items in 7 sections was developed. Questionnaires were distributed among 456 person received questionnaires, and 415 responded to all questions. All participants were experts in the healthcare section of the ISSO all over the country. Data were analyzed via exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and structural equations using SPSS 23 and AMOS-24 software. Results: By exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, seven main factors (demographic factors, geographical factors, functional factors, structural factors, humanistic factors, economic factors, and Contract parties factors) were identified as critical factors affecting medical facilities distribution. Each aspect included many components. AMOS software showed the significance of variables by P-value and critical ratio (CR) indices to analyze the conceptual model of the research. Function factors with standard coefficients of 0.85 had the most, and economic factors with a standard coefficient of 0.53 had a minor effect on the distribution of medical facilities in the ISSO. Conclusion: To have a more efficient medical facilities distribution in the ISSO must consider all identified factors, special attention should be given to the maximum use of available medical facilities. Furthermore, more attention should be paid to distributing human resources, finance, and medical equipment.

Women's and Care Providers' Perspectives of Quality Preconception Care: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

Background

A growing body of evidence is showing that Preconception Care (PCC) can increase the health and well-being of women and couples and improve subsequent pregnancy and child health outcomes. The present study aimed to determine the quality of preconception care from women's and care providers' perspectives.

Materials and Methods

This qualitative study was conducted in 2020 using conventional content analysis approach. Face to face Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 reproductive age women and 12 midwives recruited from urban health centers across Shahroud, Iran. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.

Results

Three major themes based on Donabedian's model emerged during data analysis: structure, process and outcome of care. Midwives and women's experiences of quality of preconception care included problems in organizing care, poor education performance of personnel and low-sensitivity about importance of preconception care in women.

Conclusions

The findings suggest key considerations for the organizing and delivery of preconception care. Most especially, it seems necessary to adopt appropriate strategies to improve public awareness about the importance of pre-pregnancy care.

Economic Burden of Gynecological Cancers in Iran

BACKGROUND

Gynecological cancers (GCs) are an important cause of morbidity and mortality among women worldwide. The incidence of cancer is increasing in Iran, and according to statistics, it has become the most important cause of mortality. This study aimed to assess the economic burden of GCs, including cervical, ovarian, and endometrial cancers, in Iran in 2014.

METHODS

We used a prevalence-based cost of illness methodology to investigate the annual healthcare cost of GCs and to determine the productivity loss. The productivity loss was estimated, using the human capital approach. We obtained our data from a referral hospital for the year 2014; we also used expert opinion and occupational and statistical data. To estimate direct medical cost, we used bottom-up approach and we estimated the average cost of each procedure, multiplied by the number of patients receiving the procedure.

RESULTS

The total cost of GCs in Iran was estimated at $51 million in 2014. The direct costs were $32 million, and indirect costs were $19 million of the total annual cost. The total cost of ovarian cancer was the highest among 3 cancers.

CONCLUSIONS

Knowing that the cost of GCs has a significant impact on the burden of disease and imposes an economic burden on the country could force policy makers to allocate their resource in the prevention programs and new approach in patient's management. This could lead to diagnose more GCs in the early stages, reduce mortality, and increase the quality of life.

Governmental Investments in Hospital Infrastructure Among Regions and Its Efficiency in China: An Assessment of Building Construction

Hospital infrastructure has been addressed as the prerequisite of healthcare delivery which intensively affects medical quality. Over the past decade, China has proposed a series of investment plans for hospital infrastructure in order to promote healthcare development in underdeveloped regions. Focusing on the construction of hospital buildings as the key component of hospital infrastructure, this study aims to examine whether the investment efficiency is lower where a government prioritizes equity and to explore what kind of geographical predispositions should be embedded in governmental investment plans for hospital infrastructures from the perspectives of both investment equity and efficiency. Relevant data from 330 governmental-invested hospital building construction projects in Sichuan province, China, from 2009 to 2018 were collected. Concentration index was used to evaluate the equity in the distribution of the investments. Tobit model was employed to explore the relationship between regional economic development and investment efficiency measured by an integrated approach of principal component analysis and data envelopment analysis. The results demonstrated a slight concentration of governmental investments in economically developed regions, while a negative association with regional economic development was identified with investment efficiency. Our study illustrated the investment efficiency was higher where a government prioritized equity and provided empirical evidences on switching governmental investment predisposition in the aspect of healthcare infrastructure construction toward less developed regions in China from the perspectives of both investment allocation equity and efficiency, which would further assist in the formulation of region-specific policies and strategies for underdeveloped regions.

Iranian Healthcare System and Raising Wave of Privatization: A Literature Review

Objectives: This study aimed to systematically review the literature on the Iranian healthcare system in the time of increasing privatization. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted using MEDLINE, CINAHL, APA PschInfo, and Cochrane databases to identify various concepts in the literature concerning the privatization of healthcare in Iran between September and November 2020. All the included articles were assessed using the John Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Research tool. In addition, grey literature was searched using Google targeted at academic websites and key organizations and online newspapers and magazines in the Persian language. This screening resulted in a total of 70 articles, reports, and documents. The PRISMA guidelines were followed for abstracting data and assessing the quality of the studies. Results: Six health-related items were identified at the time of increased privatization in the healthcare system. These items consisted of medical establishments, accessibility, and privatization, catastrophic health expenditure (CHE), out-of-pocket payment (OOP), health inequality, privatization, and healthcare providers, and the policy and finance of privatization. Conclusions: The review identified that the process of privatization of the healthcare system in Iran occurred with poor monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. Privatization rested on neoliberal arguments, and for-profit care has worsened healthcare performance and created an unfair, expensive healthcare system of lower quality in Iran.

The contribution of service density and proximity to geographical inequalities in health care utilisation in Indonesia: A nation-wide multilevel analysis

Background

Geographical inequalities in access to health care have only recently become a global health issue. Little evidence is available about their determinants. This study investigates the associations of service density and service proximity with health care utilisation in Indonesia and the parts they may play in geographic inequalities in health care use.

Methods

Using data from a nationally representative survey (N = 649 625), we conducted a cross-sectional study and employed multilevel logistic regression to assess whether supply-side factors relating to service density and service proximity affect the variability of outpatient and inpatient care utilisation across 497 Indonesian districts. We used median odds ratios (MORs) to estimate the extent of geographical inequalities. Changes in the MOR values indicated the role played by the supply-side factors in the inequalities.

Results

Wide variations in the density and proximity of health care services were observed between districts. Outpatient care utilisation was associated with travel costs (odds ratio (OR) = 0.82, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.70-0.97). Inpatient care utilisation was associated with ratios of hospital beds to district population (OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.05-1.43) and with travel times (OR = 0.72 95% CI = 0.61-0.86). All in all, service density and proximity provided little explanation for district-level geographic inequalities in either outpatient (MOR = 1.65, 95% CrI = 1.59-1.70 decreasing to 1.61, 95% CrI = 1.56-1.67) or inpatient care utilisation (MOR = 1.63, 95% CrI = 1.55-1.69 decreasing to 1.60 95% CrI = 1.54-1.66).

Conclusions

Supply-side factors play important roles in individual health care utilisation but do not explain geographical inequalities. Variations in other factors, such as the price and responsiveness of services, may also contribute to the inequalities. Further efforts to address geographical inequalities in health care should go beyond the physical presence of health care infrastructures to target issues such as regional variations in the prices and responsiveness of services.

Epidemiological characteristics and initial spatiotemporal visualisation of COVID-19 in a major city in the Middle East

BACKGROUND

The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged initially in China in December 2019 causing the COVID-19 disease, which quickly spread worldwide. Iran was one of the first countries outside China to be affected in a major way and is now under the spell of a fourth wave. This study aims to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 cases in north-eastern Iran through mapping the spatiotemporal trend of the disease.

METHODS

The study comprises data of 4000 patients diagnosed by laboratory assays or clinical investigation from the beginning of the disease on Feb 14, 2020, until May 11, 2020. Epidemiological features and spatiotemporal trends of the disease in the study area were explored by classical statistical approaches and Geographic Information Systems.

RESULTS

Most common symptoms were dyspnoea (69.4%), cough (59.4%), fever (54.4%) and weakness (19.5%). Approximately 82% of those who did not survive suffered from dyspnoea. The highest Case Fatality Rate (CFR) was related to those with cardiovascular disease (27.9%) and/or diabetes (18.1%). Old age (≥60 years) was associated with an almost five-fold increased CFR. Odds Ratio (OR) showed malignancy (3.8), nervous diseases (2.2), and respiratory diseases (2.2) to be significantly associated with increased CFR with developments, such as hospitalization at the ICU (2.9) and LOS (1.1) also having high correlations. Furthermore, spatial analyses revealed a geographical pattern in terms of both incidence and mortality rates, with COVID-19 first being observed in suburban areas from where the disease swiftly spread into downtown reaching a peak between 25 February to 06 March (4 incidences per km2). Mortality peaked 3 weeks later after which the infection gradually decreased. Out of patients investigated by the spatiotemporal approach (n = 727), 205 (28.2%) did not survive and 66.8% of them were men.

CONCLUSIONS

Older adults and people with severe co-morbidities were at higher risk for developing serious complications due to COVID-19. Applying spatiotemporal methods to identify the transmission trends and high-risk areas can rapidly be documented, thereby assisting policymakers in designing and implementing tailored interventions to control and prevent not only COVID-19 but also other rapidly spreading epidemics/pandemics.

Evolution of the provision of speech therapists in the Brazilian public healthcare system: study on correlations with social indictors in the last decade

PURPOSE

Investigate the correlation between the provision of speech therapists in the Brazilian public healthcare system and social indicators between 2007 and 2016.

METHODS

An ecological study was conducted. The units of analysis were the 27 federative units of Brazil. Indicators of the provision of speech therapists in public healthcare and the relative evolution of this provision in the period as well as the Human Development Index and Gini Index related to the year 2010 were analyzed. Correlations were investigated using Spearman's test (α = 5%).

RESULTS

In 2007, the provision of speech therapists in the public healthcare system was 3.55/105 residents, with the lowest indicator in the state of Amazonas and the highest in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. In 2016, this indicator nearly doubled in the country; the lowest indicator was again in the state of Amazonas and the highest was in the state of Piauí. An important relative evolution occurred in the provision of speech therapists in Brazil in the period analyzed, with significant variation among the federative units. A negative correlation was found between the relative evolution in the last decade and the Human Development Index and a positive correlation was found with the Gini Index.

CONCLUSION

The increase in the provision of speech therapists in the Brazilian public healthcare system was greater in federative units with lower human development and a greater concentration of income. Despite this, the results from 2016 showed the maintenance of the status quo, with a greater provision in federative units with greater human development.

Increasing cardiovascular medication adherence: A medical research council complex mhealth intervention mixed-methods feasibility study to inform global practice

AIMS

To evaluate a mHealth intervention to increase medication adherence among Iranian coronary heart disease patients.

DESIGN

Quantitative-dominant mixed-methods study.

DATA SOURCE

Iranian coronary heart disease patients' responses and most recent clinical documents as well as responses from Iranian cardiac nurses who participated in this study.

METHODS

The study was conducted between September 2015-April 2016 drawing on the Medical Research Council's Framework. Phase one comprised of a patients' survey and focus groups with cardiac nurses. The automated short message service reminder was piloted in phase two. We recruited 78 patients and randomized to receive either 12-week daily reminders or usual care. The primary outcome was the effect on medication adherence; secondary outcomes were self-efficacy, ejection fraction, functional capacity, readmission rate and quality of life.

RESULTS

Feasibility was evidenced by high ownership of mobile phones and high interest in receiving reminders. Participants in the intervention group showed significantly higher medication adherence compared with the control group.

CONCLUSION

The mHealth intervention was well accepted and feasible with early evidence of effectiveness that needs to be confirmed in a fully powered future randomized clinical trial.

Tracking socio-economic inequalities in healthcare utilization in Iran: a repeated cross-sectional analysis

Background

Although some healthcare reforms such as Health Transformation Plan (HTP) were implemented in Iran to provide required healthcare services, few studies have been conducted to track the impacts of these reforms on socio-economic inequality in healthcare utilization. This study aims to track socio-economic inequalities in healthcare utilization and their changes between 2008 and 2016 in Iran.

Methods

Required data were obtained from two of Iran’s utilization of healthcare services survey conducted in 2008 and 2016. Erreygers concentration index (EI) was used to measure inequality in the utilization of outpatient and inpatient healthcare services (UOH and UIH). The decomposition of EI (DEI) was used to explain healthcare utilization inequality. Oaxaca decomposition (OD) was also employed to track the changes in EI in this period.

Result

Inequality in UOH increased from 0.105 to 0.133 in the studied years, indicating the pro-rich distribution of UOH. Inequality in UIH decreased from 0.0558 to − 0.006. DEI showed that economic status was the main factor that contributed to inequality in the UOH and UIH. OD showed that residence in rural areas and supplementary insurance were the main contributing factors in the increased inequality of UOH. Moreover, OD also showed that economic status was the main contributing factor in the reduced inequality of UIH.

Conclusion

While Iran still suffers from significant socio-economic inequalities in UOH, it seems that healthcare reforms, especially HTP, have reduced UIH inequality. Expanding healthcare reforms into the outpatient sector and also implementing effective health financing policies could be recommended as a remedy against UOH inequality.

Predicting the mortality due to Covid-19 by the next month for Italy, Iran and South Korea; a simulation study

AIM

To estimate the number of confirmed cases and the rate of death and also to investigate the cause of death in Italy, Iran and South Korea in the next month.

BACKGROUND

Growing number of confirmed and deaths cases from the coronavirus worldwide, particularly in Italy, Iran and South Korea, has resulted concerns about the future of these countries and their deterioration. Also the European region is likely to face more casualties due to the delay in the virus reaching most of its regions and, of course, as the trend continues.

METHODS

We conducted a simulation in both current and ideal situation for the next month to predict the death rate and examine the reason for the difference in Italy, Iran and South Korea individually. If we assume the cultural and political factors and age pyramids distribution are similar across regions, the differences are mainly due either to the heavier health-care burden owing to the larger population or to the medical facilities diversities.

RESULTS

Our results for Italy showed higher death number, but the rate would be more for Iran. South Korea is also expected to have a smaller increase in the number of confirmed cases and deaths compared to Iran and Italy by the next month.

CONCLUSION

Given the prevailing conditions around the world and the increasing number of casualties, it is essential that all countries, especially those with fewer days of involvement, shall do their best to avoid major losses and damages.