Intersectoral Collaboration to Develop Health Equity Indicators in Iran

Background: Health equity is considered as one of the main objectives of health care systems. This study was carried out with the aim of determining health equity indicators in Iran. Through consideration of these indicators, differences in health status of different social groups and different geographical areas can be shown in different periods and based on that, effective interventions can be designed. This study is carried out through a main workshop and expert panels and final consensus on selected indicators. The first draft of indicators and inequity stratifying variables were prepared and then revised by working groups consisting of experts inside and outside Health system. Finally ideas were accepted or rejected after presenting enough reasons and deep examination through the Consensus-Oriented Decision-Making (COMD) model. Fifty two indicators have been determined as health equity indicators in five areas including health, social and human development, economic development, physical environment and infrastructure and governance. Furthermore, for each indicator the proper and practical stratifying variables of inequity were identified. By calculating such indicators, it becomes possible to determine differences in health status of different social groups and different geographical areas

The Code of Ethics for Nurses

Nurses are ever-increasingly confronted with complex concerns in their practice. Codes of ethics are fundamental guidance for nursing as many other professions. Although there are authentic international codes of ethics for nurses, the national code would be the additional assistance provided for clinical nurses in their complex roles in care of patients, education, research and management of some parts of health care system in the country. A national code can provide nurses with culturally-adapted guidance and help them to make ethical decisions more closely to the Iranian-Islamic background. Given the general acknowledgement of the need, the National Code of Ethics for Nurses was compiled as a joint project (2009-2011). The Code was approved by the Health Policy Council of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education and communicated to all universities, healthcare centers, hospitals and research centers early in 2011. The focus of this article is on the course of action through which the Code was compiled, amended and approved. The main concepts of the code will be also presented here. No doubt, development of the codes should be considered as an ongoing process. This is an overall responsibility to keep the codes current, updated with the new progresses of science and emerging challenges, and pertinent to the nursing practice