A Guide to Identifying Knowledge Needs for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases in Iran

Abstract

The World Health Organization has extended the roadmap for prevention and control of the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) program, 2013–2020 until 2030. In the political declaration of the fourth meeting of the United Nations General Assembly held on September 25, 2025, the promotion of mental health and well-being has also been added to the agenda. The overarching goal of the program is to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases by one-third by 2030 through prevention and control, as well as by promoting mental health and well-being. The program emphasizes the need to accelerate progress toward these goals through the implementation of a set of evidence-based, cost-effective, and affordable interventions. The role of national research systems is to generate the necessary evidence to identify best interventions, implement them, and monitor and evaluate their outcomes. This article identifies knowledge needs based on an evidence-informed policymaking approach. Within this framework, specific questions are defined for each stage of the policymaking cycle, which must be answered using evidence. Furthermore, the results of the mid-point evaluation of WHO’s 2013–2020 roadmap have been analyzed, and the identified research questions have been incorporated into those arising from the evidence-informed policymaking approach.