Biomedical subjects

M Asadi-Lari

Publications and source records attributed to M Asadi-Lari.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Applying a basic development needs approach for sustainable and integrated community development in less-developed areas: report of ongoing Iranian experience.

INTRODUCTION: Despite considerable achievements in the provision of basic developmental facilities in terms of drinking water, access to primary healthcare services, high-quality and nutritious food, social services, and proper housing facilities, there are many rural and slum communities in Iran where these essential needs remain unfulfilled. Lack of equity is prominent, as large differences exist in underprivileged provinces. New policies developed in the past two decades have resulted in substantial achievements in meeting population needs and reducing the socio-economic gap; nevertheless, poverty levels, unemployment due to a large increase in the birth rate in the early 1980s, and lack of community participation are matters yet to be addressed. To overcome these deficiencies, a basic development needs approach was adopted to promote the concept of community self-help and self-reliance through intersectoral collaboration, creating an environment where people could take an active part in the development process, with the Iranian government providing the necessary support to achieve the desired level of development. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT: Following firm commitment from the Iranian government and technical support from the World Health Organization Regional Office, basic development needs was assigned a high priority in health and health-related sectors, reflected in the third National Masterplan (2001-2005). A comprehensive intersectoral plan was designed, and pilot projects were commenced in three villages. Each village elected a representative, and committee clusters were formed to run and monitor projects identified by a process of local needs assessment and priority assignment. In each region, a variety of needs were elicited from these assessments, which were actively supported by local authorities. LESSON LEARNED: A basic development needs approach was found to be a reliable discipline to improve community participation, needs-led resource allocation and intersectoral co-operation in community development, particularly in underprivileged areas. Iran's initial experience of basic development needs has gained widespread public support but will require periodical evaluation as it is introduced into other rural and urban regions across the country.

Community Participation↗

PubMed2005

Psychometric properties of a new health needs analysis tool designed for cardiac patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Assessing health needs is pivotal in healthcare systems, ensuring that services are appropriate for a population's genuine needs. In the absence of an appropriate investigational tool, a comprehensive process of questionnaire development was undertaken to evaluate and validate a specific health needs assessment tool for cardiac patients (Nottingham Health Needs Assessment; NHNA). Its psychometric properties were investigated in a survey of patients admitted with acute coronary syndromes. METHOD: Two hundred and forty-two consecutive patients admitted to an acute cardiac unit with symptoms suggestive of acute myocardial infarction completed a postal questionnaire about health needs and quality-of-life, using generic (Short Form 12 and EuroQol-5D) and specific (Seattle Angina Questionnaire) health-related quality-of-life instruments. RESULTS: Forty-six items were assigned to five domains of health-related needs according to principal component analysis, with high internal consistency (0.83-0.89). Each domain in the NHNA questionnaire correlated highly with its quality-of-life counterpart, indicating relatively high concurrent validity. CONCLUSION: The NHNA questionnaire has acceptable psychometric features, with satisfactory construct validity as determined by quality-of-life analysis. This health needs assessment instrument appears to be a reliable means of identifying patients' needs, which is an important landmark for directing health services.

Coronary Artery Disease↗

PubMed2004

The devastation of Bam: an overview of health issues 1 month after the earthquake.

The appalling earthquake in the ancient city of Bam on December 27th 2003 was one of the worst disasters since the last century in Iran. Further to the chilling statistics of human loss, essential services including water supply, power, telephone, health care services, main roads, and the city's only airport were crippled. From the 'public health' and 'health emergency' perspectives, the initial priorities were to minimise avoidable further mortality and morbidity. This required prompt evacuation of the injured, defining catchment areas, establishment of efficient systems for disease control, organising a disaster management plan, out patient management, co-ordination of international aid, and re-organising the current PHC network in the district. The second stage, each department planning health delivery for the subsequent year, was rapidly initiated. This paper discusses these strategies, which were designed specifically for Bam but are likely useful in similar situations.

Disasters↗

PubMed2004

Public health improvement in Iran--lessons from the last 20 years.

INTRODUCTION: Health services are historically based on providers's and policy makers's understanding of population health status. This does not necessarily reflect the real needs of a population. Health needs assessment (HNA) should improve individual or population health and optimize the way that limited resources are utilized. OBJECTIVES: To review health needs literature and to describe Iranian primary healthcare (PHC) achievements in developing a needs-driven health system. FINDINGS: The Iranian PHC system was established to meet healthcare needs identified through population health status surveys. Since 1984, the PHC system has become highly organized and efficient, resulting in a dramatic decrease in infant, maternal and neonatal mortality rates, population growth, increasing life span and a marked shift towards non-communicable diseases. Through an organized partnership of the general population, volunteers, health workers and health professionals, a needs-oriented healthcare system became central to health policy in Iran. Several information sources were utilized to establish need. Improving death certification was an immediate and important part of this process. COMMENT: Improved knowledge about personal rights, community and environmental health policies, and involvement of the media led to an increased range and depth of needs. Moving towards quality improvement and a needs-driven healthcare system requires continuous needs assessment. Novel methods of HNA, such as postal and telephone surveys, group discussions, surrogates for need such as quality-of-life measurement (commonly used in developed countries) or other locally designed methods such as the basic development needs approach, may be relevant to the Iranian PHC network.

Data Collection↗