Article type
Year
Abstract
Background:
Various global and local trends are affecting health policy decisions and shaping the future of health systems. Identifying trends is imperative to predict emerging issues or challenges and plan to enhance the use of evidence in order to address them better.
Objectives:
This study aims to determine the main trends that are likely to affect Evidence-Informed Health Policy-making (EIHP) in Iran and to identify the main challenges or opportunities for EIHP that Iran will face.
Methods:
We conducted a content analysis of relevant documents to outline the list of trends that may affect the Iran health system. Then, we organized two focus group discussions and six face to face interviews with relevant national experts to discuss the trends affecting EIHP in Iran, the effect that they potentially may have, and the opportunities and threats emerging from these trends. Data were analyzed using framework analysis. During the development of subthemes, data were coded, memos were analyzed and subthemes were generated based on the elements of the framework. Five themes and 15 subthemes were identified.
Results:
Five trends were likely to affect EIHP in Iran. Social, technological, and economic trends influence the EIHP more directly than political and environmental trends. The main challenges for EIHP, caused by these trends, are a growing need for more localized and high-quality research evidence in a reasonable time, more stakeholder participation and more capacity building for the production and use of relevant research evidence.
Conclusions:
Each of the identified trends has various impacts on the use of research evidence in health policies. Social, technological, and economic trends have more effects and cause some challenges. More evidence will be needed to address public health problems. Furthermore, there will be more access to data and evidence. It shows the need to pay more attention to capacity building for EIHP.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement:
No patient or healthcare consumer was involved in the study.
Various global and local trends are affecting health policy decisions and shaping the future of health systems. Identifying trends is imperative to predict emerging issues or challenges and plan to enhance the use of evidence in order to address them better.
Objectives:
This study aims to determine the main trends that are likely to affect Evidence-Informed Health Policy-making (EIHP) in Iran and to identify the main challenges or opportunities for EIHP that Iran will face.
Methods:
We conducted a content analysis of relevant documents to outline the list of trends that may affect the Iran health system. Then, we organized two focus group discussions and six face to face interviews with relevant national experts to discuss the trends affecting EIHP in Iran, the effect that they potentially may have, and the opportunities and threats emerging from these trends. Data were analyzed using framework analysis. During the development of subthemes, data were coded, memos were analyzed and subthemes were generated based on the elements of the framework. Five themes and 15 subthemes were identified.
Results:
Five trends were likely to affect EIHP in Iran. Social, technological, and economic trends influence the EIHP more directly than political and environmental trends. The main challenges for EIHP, caused by these trends, are a growing need for more localized and high-quality research evidence in a reasonable time, more stakeholder participation and more capacity building for the production and use of relevant research evidence.
Conclusions:
Each of the identified trends has various impacts on the use of research evidence in health policies. Social, technological, and economic trends have more effects and cause some challenges. More evidence will be needed to address public health problems. Furthermore, there will be more access to data and evidence. It shows the need to pay more attention to capacity building for EIHP.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement:
No patient or healthcare consumer was involved in the study.