Improvement in Health Indicators of Islamic Republic of Iran in the Years 2004 and 2008

BACKGROUND: As a performance evaluating program, healthcare indicators of the Islamic Republic of Iran at the end year of the 4th five-year socioeconomic strategic plan (2008) were evaluated in comparison with the same indicators at the 1st year of the 9th government (2004). METHODS: The indicators were selected with the Delphi technique among the published indicators in the two period of time in 41 universities and in the country. Data gathering was done on the current health information system and were statistically analyzed assessing their trends. RESULTS: The provinces of Sistan and Baluchistan (3.4%), Kerman (2.84%), Hormozgan (2.83%), Tehran (2.63%) and Qom (2.07%) had the highest rate of population growth over these years. Improving access to primary health care (PHC) in rural areas in Iran was evident during these years. The average hospital bed index in 1998 was one bed per 1000 population in the country and it was 1.62 in 2008. This Index was the highest in the province of Yazd and lowest in Ilam during both periods. CONCLUSION: A significant ascending trend was observed for indicators in all medical universities. A promotion in healthcare indicators in the lesser developed provinces seems necessary.