Manal Etemadi1,2, Kioomars Ashtarian3, Hasan Abolghasem Gorji1, Hananneh Mohammadi Kangarani4. 1. Department of Health Services Management, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 2. National Center for Health Insurance Research, Iran Health Insurance Organization, Tehran, Iran. 3. Department of Public Policy, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. 4. Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Considering the challenges of health services utilization of the poor in Iran, it is necessary to examine the supportive policy documents about the poor in order to identify such challenges. METHODS: This study is a policy documents analysis that has evaluated the legal documents in the health financial support to the poor. The researchers looked in the websites for documents and referred to related organizations. Social network analysis approach and UCINET software were chosen for data analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-seven different disadvantaged groups were identified for financial support in the legal documents. The main focus was on "poor people," "unsupported women and children," and "disabled and elderly poor people." There is a bundle of confusion about the number of supporting institutions for different groups and the amount of support in the network. CONCLUSION: The coverage of the poor in Iran has been impaired by a lack of clear boundary in their support. Because of the interorganizational partnership challenges, much more promising results would have been achieved if there was only one administrative institution for the Iranian poor. Given the inconsistencies seen in the support types and levels for the poor to access health services, it is inevitable to amend the laws.
BACKGROUND: Considering the challenges of health services utilization of the poor in Iran, it is necessary to examine the supportive policy documents about the poor in order to identify such challenges. METHODS: This study is a policy documents analysis that has evaluated the legal documents in the health financial support to the poor. The researchers looked in the websites for documents and referred to related organizations. Social network analysis approach and UCINET software were chosen for data analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-seven different disadvantaged groups were identified for financial support in the legal documents. The main focus was on "poor people," "unsupported women and children," and "disabled and elderly poor people." There is a bundle of confusion about the number of supporting institutions for different groups and the amount of support in the network. CONCLUSION: The coverage of the poor in Iran has been impaired by a lack of clear boundary in their support. Because of the interorganizational partnership challenges, much more promising results would have been achieved if there was only one administrative institution for the Iranian poor. Given the inconsistencies seen in the support types and levels for the poor to access health services, it is inevitable to amend the laws.