Background: Health and nutrition are important aspects in the analysis of households’ multidimensional poverty. The present research investigated poverty in Tehran’s households through a cohort approach. In this regard, households’... more
Background: Health and nutrition are important aspects in the analysis of
households’ multidimensional poverty. The present research investigated poverty
in Tehran’s households through a cohort approach. In this regard, households’
financial participation about health costs and food intake calories were analyzed.
Methods: Households’ data of costs – income survey were then collected. Health
and nutrition poverty trend was investigated through generational approach, index
of poverty "Foster, Greer, Turbak", and in the period of 1984-2014 by dividing
Tehrany families into eight various age groups. Excell and Stata11 were applied to
process and calculate the indices.
Results: During the study years, the highest level of health poverty (29%) in 1999
was in age range of 21-26 and the highest level of nutrition poverty in 1984 (65%)
was in age range of 42-46. There has been an ascending trend of health and
nutrition poverty at the end of the Fourth Development Plan (2009) up to 2013 for
all age groups.
Conclusion: Generally, rate and severity of health and nutrition poverty had many
fluctuations among different age groups of Tehrani households’ heads. This rate
has raised during recent years which indicates lack of stable and coherent social
policies to reduce households’ exposures with catastrophic health care costs and
funding of the food aid needs
households’ multidimensional poverty. The present research investigated poverty
in Tehran’s households through a cohort approach. In this regard, households’
financial participation about health costs and food intake calories were analyzed.
Methods: Households’ data of costs – income survey were then collected. Health
and nutrition poverty trend was investigated through generational approach, index
of poverty "Foster, Greer, Turbak", and in the period of 1984-2014 by dividing
Tehrany families into eight various age groups. Excell and Stata11 were applied to
process and calculate the indices.
Results: During the study years, the highest level of health poverty (29%) in 1999
was in age range of 21-26 and the highest level of nutrition poverty in 1984 (65%)
was in age range of 42-46. There has been an ascending trend of health and
nutrition poverty at the end of the Fourth Development Plan (2009) up to 2013 for
all age groups.
Conclusion: Generally, rate and severity of health and nutrition poverty had many
fluctuations among different age groups of Tehrani households’ heads. This rate
has raised during recent years which indicates lack of stable and coherent social
policies to reduce households’ exposures with catastrophic health care costs and
funding of the food aid needs
Background: Social health is a fundamental dimension of health, and plays an important role in promoting social well-being. Research in social health needs reliable and valid tools, which should be also applicable to any type of social... more
Background: Social health is a fundamental dimension of health, and plays an important role in
promoting social well-being. Research in social health needs reliable and valid tools, which should
be also applicable to any type of social context. This study was aimed to develop an effective social
health questionnaire for the social context of Iranian society.
Methods: The study was conducted in three phases: 1) A preliminary 43-item questionnaire was
created based on an extensive literature review; 2) The questionnaire was validated. Firstly, social
health experts evaluated content validity; secondly, an exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach’s
coefficient test were used; 3) The questionnaire was tested in a representative sample of 500 persons, who were selected through a multistage sampling in Tehran, Iran, in 2015. All analyses were
carried out using SPSS software (version 22).
Results: We developed the Iranian Social Health Questionnaire (IrSHQ) consisting of a 29-item
questionnaire organized in seven subscales – ‘Social interaction’, ‘social responsibility’, ‘conscientiousness’, ‘attitude to society’, ‘empathy’, ‘family relationship’, and ‘social participation’−. Internal
consistency using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.86. Validity and reliability of our questionnaire were confirmed.
Conclusion: Due to the size and diversity of participants, validity of results, compliance with
Iranian culture, and its relative shortness, the IrSHQ appears to be a very useful instrument for
measuring individual’s social health in the Iranian social context.
promoting social well-being. Research in social health needs reliable and valid tools, which should
be also applicable to any type of social context. This study was aimed to develop an effective social
health questionnaire for the social context of Iranian society.
Methods: The study was conducted in three phases: 1) A preliminary 43-item questionnaire was
created based on an extensive literature review; 2) The questionnaire was validated. Firstly, social
health experts evaluated content validity; secondly, an exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach’s
coefficient test were used; 3) The questionnaire was tested in a representative sample of 500 persons, who were selected through a multistage sampling in Tehran, Iran, in 2015. All analyses were
carried out using SPSS software (version 22).
Results: We developed the Iranian Social Health Questionnaire (IrSHQ) consisting of a 29-item
questionnaire organized in seven subscales – ‘Social interaction’, ‘social responsibility’, ‘conscientiousness’, ‘attitude to society’, ‘empathy’, ‘family relationship’, and ‘social participation’−. Internal
consistency using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.86. Validity and reliability of our questionnaire were confirmed.
Conclusion: Due to the size and diversity of participants, validity of results, compliance with
Iranian culture, and its relative shortness, the IrSHQ appears to be a very useful instrument for
measuring individual’s social health in the Iranian social context.
Background Exploring changes in health inequality and its determinants over time is of policy interest. Accordingly, this study aimed to decompose inequality in neonatal mortality into its contributing factors and then explore changes... more
Background
Exploring changes in health inequality and its determinants over time is of policy interest. Accordingly, this study aimed to decompose inequality in neonatal mortality into its contributing factors and then explore changes from 1995-2000 to 2005-2010 in Iran.
Methods
Required data were drawn from two Iran’s demographic and health survey (DHS) conducted in 2000 and 2010. Normalized concentration index (CI) was used to measure the magnitude of inequality in neonatal mortality. The contribution of various determinants to inequality was estimated by decomposing concentration indices in 1995-2000 and 2005-2010. Finally, changes in inequality were investigated using Oaxaca-type decomposition technique.
Results
Pro-rich inequality in neonatal mortality was declined by 16%, ie, the normalized CI dropped from -0.1490 in 1995-2000 to -0.1254 in 2005-2010. The largest contribution to inequality was attributable to mother’s education (32%) and household’s economic status (49%) in 1995-2000 and 2005-2010, respectively. Changes in mother’s educational level (121%), use of skilled birth attendants (79%), mother’s age at the delivery time (25-34 years old) (54%) and using modern contraceptive (29%) were mainly accountable for the decrease in inequality in neonatal mortality.
Conclusion
Policy actions on improving households’ economic status and maternal education, especially in rural areas, may have led to the reduction in neonatal mortality inequality in Iran.
Exploring changes in health inequality and its determinants over time is of policy interest. Accordingly, this study aimed to decompose inequality in neonatal mortality into its contributing factors and then explore changes from 1995-2000 to 2005-2010 in Iran.
Methods
Required data were drawn from two Iran’s demographic and health survey (DHS) conducted in 2000 and 2010. Normalized concentration index (CI) was used to measure the magnitude of inequality in neonatal mortality. The contribution of various determinants to inequality was estimated by decomposing concentration indices in 1995-2000 and 2005-2010. Finally, changes in inequality were investigated using Oaxaca-type decomposition technique.
Results
Pro-rich inequality in neonatal mortality was declined by 16%, ie, the normalized CI dropped from -0.1490 in 1995-2000 to -0.1254 in 2005-2010. The largest contribution to inequality was attributable to mother’s education (32%) and household’s economic status (49%) in 1995-2000 and 2005-2010, respectively. Changes in mother’s educational level (121%), use of skilled birth attendants (79%), mother’s age at the delivery time (25-34 years old) (54%) and using modern contraceptive (29%) were mainly accountable for the decrease in inequality in neonatal mortality.
Conclusion
Policy actions on improving households’ economic status and maternal education, especially in rural areas, may have led to the reduction in neonatal mortality inequality in Iran.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Like any other health-related disorder, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has a differential distribution with respect to socioeconomic factors. This study aimed to estimate and decompose educational inequalities in the prevalence of IBS.... more
Like any other health-related disorder, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has a differential distribution with respect to socioeconomic factors. This study aimed to estimate and decompose educational inequalities in the prevalence of IBS. Sampling was performed using a multi-stage random cluster sampling approach. The data of 1,850 residents of Kish Island aged 15 years or older were included, and the determinants of IBS were identified using a generalized estimating equation regression model. The concentration index of educational inequality in cases of IBS was estimated and decomposed as the specific inequality index. The prevalence of IBS in this study was 21.57% (95% confidence interval [CI], 19.69 to 23.44%). The concentration index of IBS was 0.20 (95% CI, 0.14 to 0.26). A multivariable regression model revealed that age, sex, level of education, marital status, anxiety, and poor general health were significant determinants of IBS. In the decomposition analysis, level of education (89.91%), age (-11.99%), and marital status (9.11%) were the three main contributors to IBS inequality. Anxiety and poor general health were the next two contributors to IBS inequality, and were responsible for more than 12% of the total observed inequality. The main contributors of IBS inequality were education level, age, and marital status. Given the high percentage of anxious individuals among highly educated, young, single, and divorced people, we can conclude that all contributors to IBS inequality may be partially influenced by psychological factors. Therefore, programs that promote the development of mental health to alleviate the abovementioned inequality in this population are highly warranted.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
As social health is a condition-driven, dynamic and fluid concept, it seems necessary to construct and obtain a national and relevant concept of it for every society. Providing an empirical back up for Iran's concept of social health... more
As social health is a condition-driven, dynamic and fluid concept, it seems necessary to construct and obtain a national and relevant concept of it for every society. Providing an empirical back up for Iran's concept of social health was the aim of the present study. This study is an ecologic study in which available data for 30 provinces of Iran in 2007 were analyzed. In order to prove construct validity and obtain a social health index, an exploratory factor analysis was conducted on six indicators of population growth, willful murder, poverty, unemployment, insurance coverage and literacy. Following the factor analysis, two factors of Diathesis (made up of high population growth, poverty, low insurance coverage and illiteracy) and Problem (made up of unemployment and willful murder) were extracted. The diathesis and problem explained 48.6 and 19.6% of social health variance respectively. From provinces, Sistan & Baluchistan had the highest rate of poverty and violence and the...