Economic Value of Life in Iran: The Human Capital Approach

Background: The human life value is among the most important challenges of the health economic evaluation. This limitation has reduced the feasibility of applying the cost-benefit method in evaluations of health interventions and policies. Using the human capital approach and discounted value of future earnings, the present study calculated the human capital of different age groups. Methods: The required data were obtained using “income and expenditures of Iranian households” data in 2015 from the Statistical Center of Iran, which included the information on 19380 urban households. Results: According to the calculation of human capital, the maximum value of a statistical life year in the high-income group was related to the age group of 30-34 yr old (223,286 US$ equals to 9378 million Iranian Rials). The lowest value in all three groups of high, medium and low income is related to the age group of 85 and older. In addition, the economic value of statistical life year for men has been calculated as higher than that of women, however, in older age groups, the human capital of both genders have been converging. Conclusion: The economic value of life for young people aged between 20 to 30 yr was higher than other demographic groups. The findings of the research help to provide a more accurate base for the cost-benefit analysis of health and social policies. Considering the economic value of the statistical life for different age groups may change policy priorities in areas related to health and life of human beings

Exploring the determinants of health service utilization among people living with HIV: a qualitative study in Iran

Abstract Background Health service utilization among people living with HIV is vital for their survival and quality of life. This study aims to exploring the determinants influencing health service utilization among people living with HIV. Methods We conducted a qualitative study involving 16 men and women aged 18–64 living with HIV in Tehran. Data were collected between September and December 2021 through semi-structured interviews conducted via telephone and online platforms, utilizing the purposeful sampling method. Data were analyzed by MAXQDA-2018 software using conventional content analysis approaches and the Granheim and Landman method. Results Two main themes, seven categories, and 21 subcategories were obtained from the interviews. The main themes included facilitators of health service utilization (positive personality traits, social factors, and structural-behavioral determinants) and inhibitors of health service utilization (personal conditions, insufficient knowledge and understanding of the disease, negative consequences of disease disclosure, and difficult access to services). Conclusion This study underscores the need to invest and expand specialized services for people living with HIV by policy makers, while simultaneously increasing public awareness to reduce the social stigma

Predictors of COVID-19 vaccine uptake among people who use substances: a case study in Tehran

Abstract Background Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to manage infectious disease epidemics such as Covid-19. However, the low rates of vaccination in populations at risk including people using illicit substances, hinders the effectiveness of preventive vaccines in reducing transmission. The aim of this study was to investigate the rate of Covid-19 vaccination and its related factors among people who use substances in Tehran, Iran. Methods Between July and December 2022, 386 people who use substances aged ≥ 18 years old were recruited by convenience street-based sampling in Tehran. The outcome variable in this study was self-reported completion of at least two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. Logistic regression was used to investigate the factors related to Covid-19 vaccination. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 20 at the 0.05 level of significance. As a measure of risk, 95% Confidence interval (CI) was used. The level of significance was considered at 0.05. Results Almost three-quarters (n = 286) of the participants reported receiving at least two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine (95% CI, 70.2–79.3). Those participants with high school diplomas were 1.17 times more likely than less educated participants to report having had 2 vaccinations (OR of 1.17, CI 95%: 1.03–1.81). Participants with a higher mean score of having a positive attitude towards Covid-19 vaccination were more likely to have received a vaccination (OR of 1.12, CI 95%: 1.08–1.17). Ethnicity was also an influential variable, people with non-Fars ethnicity were less likely to be vaccinated than those of Fars ethnicity (OR of 0.33, CI 95%: 0.13–0.81). People with higher-than-average monthly income were more likely to report vaccination than those with low monthly incomes (OR of 1.27, CI 95%: 1.09–1.8). Also, participants reporting less access to vaccination centers had a lower chance of reporting having been vaccinated than those who reported high access to vaccination centers (OR of .17, CI 95%: .08-.36). Conclusions Covid-19 vaccine uptake was found to be relatively high among people using illicit substances in this study. Higher levels of education, Fars ethnicity, higher income levels, having a positive attitude towards vaccination and access to vaccination centers were the most important predictors of Covid-19 vaccination in this study

Factors related with breast self-examination in women: A cross-sectional study in Tehran Province, Iran

Background: Breast self-examination is one of the primitive methods to diagnosis of breast cancer as one of the health problems in the world. Breast self-examination as a low costs and simple method that can be performed without the need for health personnel, can increase patient's survival chance through primitive diagnose of disease with more accurate diagnostic follow up. Considering the importance of breast self-examination, this study was conducted to determine an effective factor on breast self-examination among Tehranian women in 2018. Methods: In this Cross-sectional Study We surveyed a total of 859 women from Tehran that were participated in the study during the autumn 2018 about factors associated with Breast self-examination. Participant ages ranged from 30 to 65 years. Binary Logistic regression model was used to examine the relationship between Breast self-examination and a set of predictive variables. Result: Study result showed that 42.1% of participant performed breast self- examination at least once in their lifetime. associated with self-examination Multivariable model shows that age (OR=1.816; 95%CI=1.084-3.044), home status (OR=.430; 95%CI=.289-.640), ethnicity (OR=.638; 95%CI =.448-.90),birth place (OR=.502; 95%CI=.247-.968), marital status (OR=4.321; 95%CI=1.478-12.629), job status (OR=3.894; 95%CI=1.464-10.363), income (OR=2.023; 95%CI=1.066-3.840), Problem in breast (OR=.161; 95%CI=.110-.237), Preventive behaviors of breast cancer (OR=5.864; 95%CI=2.445-14.062) were predictive behaviors of breast self- examination. Conclusion: Findings suggested the requirement of increasing self - examination and enforcing Preventive behaviors of breast cancer with society-based education. Efforts to enhance literacy level and awareness of breast self-examination through educational interventions, media plans, and academic environments such as school and university should be one of the priorities in the field of breast cancer prevention in metropolitans and societies. Keywords:Breast Cancer; Screening; Breast Self-Examination; Breast Health Behavio