Providing and promoting health-oriented services by nongovernmental organizations: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND: Benefactors of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are the hidden public health promotion systems. These benefactors are the symbol and intermediary of people participation, which is one of the main arms of health promotion and reduction of poverty and injustice in the societies. The present study is aimed to identify the benefactors’ experiences in NGOs in terms of providing and promoting health-oriented services. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted with a qualitative approach. The total number of participants was 32, which consisted of 25 chief executive officers from active and inactive organizations. Active organizations refer to organizations that submitted their 6-month report at the time of the investigation and whose operating license was renewed and in operation and seven officials of the social deputy of governmental organizations related to NGOs. Data collection was performed by using semi-structured interviews and with purposive sampling and then continued until data saturation. Furthermore, the content analysis method was used for data analysis. MAXQDA software version 2007 was used to manage quality data. RESULTS: During the data analysis, the following four subcategories were obtained: “high effort in empathy with fellow human beings,” “role of merit in the success of donors,” “creating a platform for social attention for the client's spontaneity,” and “respect of the client,” which were the results of experience and dimensions. The performance of non-governmental organizations is in line with the confrontation and responsibility of non-governmental organizations with a focus on health-oriented services. CONCLUSION: Having benevolent motives, benefactors attempt to provide conditions, in which help seekers have more chance for living through establishing new, sustainable, and future-reassuring conditions.