Document Type : Original Article
Authors
- . Seyed Hossein Hosseini 1
- . Hamid Reza Khankeh 2
- . Mehrdad Farrokhi 3
- . Mohammad Ali Hosseini 4
- . Pirhossein Koolivand 5
- . Mohammad Raeiszadeh 6
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
Abstract
CONTEXT: Iran’s health system has always faced many challenges in the field of disaster risk
management. The establishment of early warning systems in countries has been identified as an
important component of preparedness and risk reduction.
AIMS: This study aims to extract the experiences of those involved in the field of risk management
in relation to the challenges and problems of early warning system establishment in the Iran’s health
system.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This was a qualitative study, which has been conducted using a content
analysis method. Data were collected through semi‑structured interviews with 16 individuals who
had at least one disaster management experience at the emergency operation centers. Sampling
was done purposefully. The data were then analyzed using the Grenheim method.
RESULTS: Nine subcategories of data were analyzed that included legal vacancies, challenges
related to protocols and guidelines, weaknesses in the prediction infrastructure, weaknesses in
the communication infrastructure, poor coordination, scarcity of resources, inadequate education,
information management challenge, and evaluation challenge, and three main categories were
extracted that included policy challenges, infrastructure challenges, and management challenges
that represented the issues experienced in establishing an early warning system in the Iranian
health system.
CONCLUSION: Policy‑makers and managers of health system need to pay special attention to
improve the legal framework and standard protocol, strengthening infrastructures, increasing
management performance in the field of coordination, education, allocation of resources, flow of
information, and evaluation system.
Keywords
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