The outcomes of health care process in Iran's rural society

BACKGROUND: Health care systems in rural areas face numerous challenges in meeting the community's needs and adequate attention has not been paid to this problem. The aim of this study was to describe the outcomes of health care process in rural society. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-six participants including twenty-one rural health care providers and five clients were selected according to purposive sampling. The data were collected via semi-structured individual interviews and a mini focus group. Data were analyzed by using qualitative content analysis based on methods described by Granheme and Landman. RESULTS: Data analysis eventually led to formation of one category of inefficiency in health care process in rural society including subcategories such as arbitrary self-therapy, slow care process, dissatisfaction with the care process, superficial caring, job stress and burn out of caregivers, and ineffective caring relationship. CONCLUSION: Outcomes in health care in rural society of Iran represents inefficiency of the current health care process. These outcomes are related to the cultural and social context of rural communities and the structure of the health system. These outcomes in health care in the rural society of Iran represent impairment of the current health care process. The necessity of modifying the existing care trend with new models designed to improve the health care process is felt.