Social determinants of health and health equity: Islamic republic of Iran’s executive actions and monitoring system

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Increasing evidence leaves no doubt that significant disparity in health arises from uneven distribution of wealth across populations. Diverse patterns in pervasiveness of social factors eventually become manifest in heterogeneous face of disease prevalence, morbidity, and mortality rate within and between communities and remarkably affect expectancy of human life. Here, we presented the formulation and implementation of executive actions as well as a monitoring system for social determinants of health (SDH) initiated by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME) since 2006. Methods: This was a descriptive review of various actions performed by MOHME on social elements to reduce health disparities. Results: Nomination of national think tank committee and sensitizing and mobilizing sectors other than health in all policies resulted in approval of 52 health indicators at the government level. Emphasis was placed on the collaborative efforts particularly on developing a monitoring system which could show the distance between achievements and goals and assure the effectiveness of implemented actions on reducing health inequities. Conclusions: We pictured the road which was paved by MOHME on social determinants of health (SDH) to facilitate the evaluation and formulation of the future actions to reduce health disparities in a more effective manner.