Early warning system‑related challenges in health sector: A qualitative content analysis study in Iran
نویسندگان
1 Health in Emergency and Disaster Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
2 Health in Emergency and Disaster Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran Department of Clinical Science and Education, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden,
3 Health in Emergency and Disaster Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
4 Department of Nursing, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
5 Resource Development of Shafa’ (Healing) Neuroscience Research Center
6 Trauma Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Department of Surgery, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
doi
چکیده
CONTEXT: Iran’s health system has always faced many challenges in the field of disaster riskmanagement. The establishment of early warning systems in countries has been identified as animportant component of preparedness and risk reduction.AIMS: This study aims to extract the experiences of those involved in the field of risk managementin relation to the challenges and problems of early warning system establishment in the Iran’s healthsystem.SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This was a qualitative study, which has been conducted using a contentanalysis method. Data were collected through semi‑structured interviews with 16 individuals whohad at least one disaster management experience at the emergency operation centers. Samplingwas done purposefully. The data were then analyzed using the Grenheim method.RESULTS: Nine subcategories of data were analyzed that included legal vacancies, challengesrelated to protocols and guidelines, weaknesses in the prediction infrastructure, weaknesses inthe communication infrastructure, poor coordination, scarcity of resources, inadequate education,information management challenge, and evaluation challenge, and three main categories wereextracted that included policy challenges, infrastructure challenges, and management challengesthat represented the issues experienced in establishing an early warning system in the Iranianhealth system.CONCLUSION: Policy‑makers and managers of health system need to pay special attention toimprove the legal framework and standard protocol, strengthening infrastructures, increasingmanagement performance in the field of coordination, education, allocation of resources, flow ofinformation, and evaluation system.
