Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40269979›Full record

ArticleJournal of health, population, and nutrition2025

Challenges in adopting health technology assessment for evidence-based policy in Iran: a qualitative study.

Meysam Behzadifar, Saeed Shahabi, Ahad Bakhtiari, Samad Azari, Mohammad Yarahmadi, Mariano Martini, Masoud Behzadifar

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of health, population, and nutrition, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Meysam BehzadifarSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran.
Saeed ShahabiHealth Policy Research Center, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Ahad BakhtiariHealth Equity Research Center (HERC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
Samad AzariHospital Management Research Center, Health Management Research Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mohammad YarahmadiDepartment of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran.
Mariano MartiniDepartment of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
Masoud BehzadifarSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran. masoudbehzadifar@gmail.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHealth Technology Assessment (HTA) is a vital tool for evidence-based healthcare decision-making, yet its adoption in Iran remains limited despite its potential to improve policy and resource allocation. This qualitative study explores the challenges hindering the integration of HTA into Iran's healthcare system, providing insights from key stakeholders.

methodsA qualitative research design was employed, using in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 23 stakeholders, including health policymakers, HTA experts, and healthcare professionals. Participants were selected through purposive sampling to ensure diverse representation across Iran's healthcare sectors. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis based on Braun and Clarke's framework, with MAXQDA software for coding and analysis. Validation was achieved through member-checking and peer debriefing.

resultsThe challenges were categorized into internal and external factors. Internal factors included institutional challenges such as a lack of clear policies or guidelines, inadequate institutional support, and bureaucratic constraints; resource limitations, including insufficient financial resources, human resource shortages, and gaps in technological infrastructure; knowledge and awareness gaps, characterized by limited awareness among decision-makers, insufficient training and education, and a preference for traditional methods; and data and evidence gaps, including a lack of reliable data, a limited local evidence base, and challenges in data sharing. External factors included political and economic influences, such as political instability, policy shifts, economic pressures, and the influence of interest groups; as well as ethical and equity concerns, which involved challenges in ethical decision-making, equity concerns, and public perception and acceptance.

conclusionThis study highlights the multifaceted challenges to HTA adoption in Iran, emphasizing the need for stronger institutional frameworks, increased resources, enhanced stakeholder awareness, and improved public engagement. Addressing these challenges through targeted policy interventions can facilitate the integration of HTA into healthcare decision-making, promoting more equitable and evidence-based policies in Iran. These findings can guide policymakers and healthcare leaders in designing context-specific solutions to enhance HTA utilization. The findings also offer valuable lessons for other low- and middle-income countries facing similar challenges, contributing to the global discourse on HTA implementation in resource-constrained settings.

Indexed as

Health PolicyTechnology Assessment, BiomedicalAdministrative PersonnelDecision MakingEvidence-Based MedicineHealth PersonnelHumansIranPolicy MakingQualitative ResearchStakeholder ParticipationEvidence-based policymakingHealthcare challengesHealth policyHealth technology assessmentPolicy implementationQualitative researchResource allocation

Identifiers

PMID40269979
PMCPMC12020206

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.