[Home ] [Archive]   [ فارسی ]  
:: Main :: About :: Current Issue :: Archive :: Search :: Submit :: Contact ::
Main Menu
Home::
Journal Information::
About the Journal
Editorial Board
Aims& Scopes
Journal News
Articles archive::
All Issues
Current Issue
Browse by Authors
Browse by Keywords
For Authors::
Instruction to authors
Unethical publishing and research behavior and how to deal with research and publication violations
Archiving and Data Retention Policy
Open Access
Payment Policy
Subscription::
Registration Information
Subscription Form
Contact us::
Contact Information
Contact us
Site Facilities::
Site map
Search contents
FAQ
Top 10 contents
Inform to friends
Webmail::
Ethical Consideration::
Publication ethics and malpractice statement
::
Search in website

Advanced Search
..
Receive site information
Enter your Email in the following box to receive the site news and information.
..
:: Volume 21, Issue 3 (Autumn 2026) ::
Iranian J Nutr Sci Food Technol 2026, 21(3): 123-128 Back to browse issues page
Improving Effective Access to Nutrition Services in Comprehensive Health Service Centers in Iran: Implementation Gaps and Policy Options
F Shafiei , E Mohamadi , A Haghighian-Roudsari * , F Zayeri
, ahaghighian@yahoo.com
Abstract:   (319 Views)
Background and Objectives: Nutrition services have been integrated into Iran’s primary health care system over the past decade; however, the increasing burden of noncommunicable diseases and the persistence of nutritional problems indicate that simply establishing these services has not necessarily translated into effective, continuous, high- quality and trusted access to nutrition services by the population. This policy brief aimed to identify key access gaps in nutrition services at comprehensive health service centers and propose feasible policy options to improve their effective use.
Methods: This policy brief was developed through a review of documents, national nutrition programs, and international experiences, complemented by content analysis of semi-structured interviews with policymakers, managers, nutrition experts, and service users. The evidence was synthesized across three levels: policymaking, service delivery, and service use.
Results: Key gaps included insufficient and unevenly distributed nutrition workforce, weak referral and follow-up systems, inadequate performance monitoring, limited counselling facilities and equipment, low public awareness and trust, economic barriers to implementing nutrition advice, and inequities across population groups and geographic areas. Four policy options were proposed: redesigning referral and monitoring systems, strengthening the nutrition workforce, improving service quality and acceptability, and promoting equitable access and feasibility of following nutrition recommendations.
Conclusion: Realizing the full potential of nutrition services in Iran’s comprehensive health service centers requires implementation of the policy options suggested in the findings of this policy brief. Investment in nutrition services at the primary health care level can be a preventive and cost-effective intervention to reduce treatment costs and promote health equity.
 
Keywords: Effective access, Nutrition services, Primary health care, Comprehensive health service centers, Health policy, Iran.
Full-Text [PDF 580 kb]   (121 Downloads)    
Article type: Brief Policy | Subject: nutrition
Received: 2026/06/2 | Accepted: 2026/07/21 | Published: 2026/09/30
References
1. Shams L, Hosseini_Shokouh SM, Meskarpour_Amiri M, Nasiri T. Primary Health Care: A Historical Review in Iran and the World. 2. 2022;2(4):484-94.
2. Lankarani KB, Alavian SM, Peymani P. Health in the Islamic Republic of Iran, challenges and progresses. Med J Islam Repub Iran. 2013;27(1):42-9.
3. Abdollahi Z TP SF MM, Novbakht haghighi F,Zareei M,Fallah H,Mashloul M. A comprehensive package of nutrition services in the health transformation program, especially health care, midwife, nutritionist and physician. 2021
4. Jahanmehr N, Rashidian A, Khosravi A, Farzadfar F, Shariati M, Majdzadeh R, et al. A conceptual framework for evaluation of public health and primary care system performance in iran. Glob J Health Sci. 2015;7(4):341-57. [DOI:10.5539/gjhs.v7n4p341]
5. Abbasi M, Eskandari N, Raisi M. Iranian Health Reform Advantages in Health Care System: A Qualitative Study. Ann Mil Health Sci Res. 2018;16(1):e79869. [DOI:10.5812/amh.79869]
6. Ghasemyani S, Raoofi S, Hamidi H, Khodayari-Zarnaq R. Iran's Health Transformation Plan; Main Issues and Opportunities for Improvement: A Systematic Review. Iran J Public Health. 2022;51(9):1977-89. [DOI:10.18502/ijph.v51i9.10552]
7. Mohammad Peikanpour, Sajjad Esmaeli, Nazila Yousefi, Ahmad Aryaeinezhad, Hamidreza Rasekh. A review of achievements and challenges of Iran's health transformation plan. Payesh (Health Monitor) Journal. 2018;17(5):481-94.
Send email to the article author

Add your comments about this article
Your username or Email:

CAPTCHA

XML   Persian Abstract   Print

Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
Shafiei F, Mohamadi E, Haghighian-Roudsari A, Zayeri F. Improving Effective Access to Nutrition Services in Comprehensive Health Service Centers in Iran: Implementation Gaps and Policy Options. Iranian J Nutr Sci Food Technol 2026; 21 (3) :123-128
URL: http://nsft.sbmu.ac.ir/article-1-4177-en.html
Rights and permissions
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Volume 21, Issue 3 (Autumn 2026) Back to browse issues page
Iranian Journal of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology
Persian site map - English site map - Created in 0.16 seconds with 37 queries by YEKTAWEB 4774