National survey of availability of physical rehabilitation services in Iran: A mixed methods study

Marzieh Shirazikhah; Arash Mirabzadeh; Homeira Sajadi; Mohammad Taghi Joghataei; Akbar Biglarian; Tahmineh Mousavi; Farahnaz Mohammadi Shahboulaghi

doi:10.19082/5778

National survey of availability of physical rehabilitation services in Iran: A mixed methods study

Electron Physician. 2017 Nov 25;9(11):5778-5786. doi: 10.19082/5778. eCollection 2017 Nov.

Authors

Marzieh Shirazikhah¹, Arash Mirabzadeh², Homeira Sajadi³, Mohammad Taghi Joghataei⁴, Akbar Biglarian⁵, Tahmineh Mousavi⁶, Farahnaz Mohammadi Shahboulaghi⁷

Affiliations

¹ MD, MPH, Ph.D., Candidate of Social Determinants of Health Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
² MD of Psychiatry, Professor, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Psychiatry Department, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
³ MD of Community Medicine, Associate Professor of Social Welfare Management Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
⁴ Ph.D. of Neuroscience, Professor, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Cellular and Molecular Research Center, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
⁵ Ph.D. of Biostatistics, Associate Professor, Department of Biostatistics, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
⁶ Ph.D. of Occupational Therapy, Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
⁷ Ph.D. of Nursing, Associate Professor, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Nursing Department, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

PMID: 29403619
PMCID: PMC5783128
DOI: 10.19082/5778

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of disability in Iran has increased due to ageing of the population and the presence of chronic diseases. However, little is known about the availability of rehabilitation services in Iran.

Objective: To study the availability of physical rehabilitation services in Iran.

Methods: This was a mixed method study. In the first phase, a qualitative design was conducted for designing an instrument with focus groups based on Service Availability and Readiness Assessment (SARA) instrument (developed by World Health Organization). Content analysis was used for data analysis. Then, in the second phase, a cross-sectional study was performed to collect the data with census method in Iran. This study was formed from June to October 2015, and samples consisted of all governmental, public non-governmental and private facilities established for rehabilitation centers affiliated with the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Ministry of Labor, Cooperative and Social Welfare and the Iranian Red Crescent Society. Data analyses were performed using SPSS software (version 16). Descriptive statistical analysis (percentage and frequency) were calculated for quantitative data.

Results: In the first phase, the content analysis of qualitative data identified a Master Facilities List (MFL) of rehabilitation services and service providers in Iran. Results of the second phase showed that the rate of inpatient, outpatient, community-based and long-term care centers per 1,000,000 populations in Iran were 1.68, 89.24, 66.21 and 3.6, respectively. Also, that the rate of rehabilitation professionals including physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and audiologists were 3.90, 64.65, 22.09, 22.83 and 24.18 per 1,000,000 populations, respectively.

Conclusion: There is a need to increase the availability of rehabilitation services and to promote rehabilitation referrals by using an interdisciplinary team approach.

Keywords: Availability; Iran; Rehabilitation professionals; Rehabilitation services.