Health Status in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Middle East and North Africa Countries: Implications for Global Health

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the health status of Iranians following the sustainable development goals (SDGs) introduction and to compare with those of the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) and global. Methods: This comparative study used secondary data analysis to investigate socio-demographic and health status indicator. The sources included census, population-based surveys and death registries. The indicators in MENA were obtained from international databases including WHO, the World Bank and the Institute for Health Assessment and Evaluation (IHME). Results: Life expectancy and human development index increased following the HTP implementation. Among causes of death, 74.6% were attributed to non-communicable diseases (NCDs). There was an increasing trend in risk factors for NCDs in Iran, while at the same time Neonatal, infant and under-5 mortality rates reduced. Compared to the MENA, Iran has a lower maternal mortality ratio, neonatal, infant, and under-5 mortality rates, and a higher life expectancy. NCDs and road injuries accounted for a larger portion of disability-adjusted life years in Iran compared to the MENA and worldwide. Conclusion: Actions against communicable diseases and road traffic injuries are required together with continued efforts to address NCDs. Although Iran does not have a low global SDGs Index ranking, there is a need to develop a roadmap to accelerate achieving global health goals and SDGs implementation.