Social Welfare
Year:2013 | Volume:12 | Issue:47|Papers Count:20

Introduction: Consideration of Health Impacts of Non-Health Sector Policies has been Developed in Many Countries. Health Impact Assessment is a Methodology which Enables the Identification, Prediction and Evaluation of the Likely Changes in Health, Both Positive and Negative, of a Policy, Programmer or Development Action on a Defined Population. These Changes may be Direct and Immediate or Indirect and Delayed. Literature Review: This Study is Narrative Review and was Conducted to Review the Health Impact Assessment Models and the Existing Models to Consider Eight Main Models from a Broad and Tight Perspective. The Eight Models Reviewed, Four Models have Tight Perspective and Four Models have Broad Perspective. There are Differences between the Health Impact Assessment Process, Tools Used in this Process and Consideration of Health Disparities. Discussion: It is Noted that HIA should Focus on Areas Where Change is Possible and Partners/ Decision! Policy Makers are willing to Implement any Recommendations Developed. Despite the Differences between these Models, it is important to Considering the Importance of Health Issues to Planning and Decision-Making Outside the Health Sector.

Introduction: Women's health is one of the most important public health priorities and one of the Millennium Development Goals. In the life course approach, various factors can influence women's health. This paper reviews is the historical background of women's health managerial activities in policy making and planning, and considers some important issues such as women's health needs and services, women's health indicators, women's health information and researches. It also focuses on their role in improving health system performance and responsiveness for women's health promotion.Methods: This review study is done by literatures got from international and national databases, journals, books and reports using selected keywords. Also in some parts of the article we used the statistics and reports on international sites like WHO and UN at the international level and also some data from Department of Health and Medical Education of Iran.Findings: Women's research could be helpful for providing community based on information and result in eradicating the women's health obstacles. Additionally, continue the monitoring of women's health and mutual interactions of academicals, managerial and planning organizations could be suitable in identification of needs and removing the information gap in this field.Discussion: Despite of holding many conferences and also revolutions took place in this area, there are still several deficiencies. Data shows the remarkable gap between different geographical regions and social classes in various countries especially in developing countries. The aim of this paper is to discuss all aspects of women's health, and review policies and health situation of women, in order to provide suggestion for women's health promotion in all aspects, especially in women's health care management, research and monitoring.

Introduction: The Health is Regarded as one of the various forms of human capital and affects labor earnings in different ways. since people work as manual labor and remote than industrial equipments in rural regions, the health of rural households is very important, since the aim of development strategies is to augment the social welfare, this paper is organized to study the effect of health on social welfare. For this purpose, the Rawlsian approach to social welfare is selected to investigate the effect of peasants' health on social welfare in Iran.Method: The relationship between health and those factors which affect the productivity and hence income of peasants is the core of theoretical discussions. deductive reasoning is used to study the effect of peasants' health on their income and hence on social welfare in Iran. At last, it is tried to present empirical evidence to test hypothesis.Findings: On the basis of above mentioned approach, this hypothesis has Found that improvement of peasants' health has increased the social welfare in Iran. based on Russet et al. (1981) who estimated the effect of health on income inequality, regression equations are used to test proposed hypothesis. The dependent variable in regressions is annual average income of a typical rural household and the index of health is both monthly expenditures of a rural household in health and the number of medical centers in rural areas. relevant data that is used to estimate regressions have gathered for 1361-82 period. The method of estimation is generalized method of moments (GMM).Discussion: This study is about the effect of rural households' health on their incomes and by using the regression analysis show that rural households' health has significantly and positively related with their incomes in last two decades and hence according to Rawlsian welfare improvement measure, has increased social welfare in Iran. This result confirms the proposed hypothesis and so suggests that increase in health of peasants and expansion of medical equipments toward rural regions bring about the level of social welfare and hence development move up. Consequently, the policy implication of this paper implies more attention of policy makers to development of rural regions as providing the basic services such as health.

Introduction: Fertility transition has been a central theme of demographic research in the second half of twenty century. In spite of extensive research on the levels, trends, and determinants of fertility in different regions of the world, few studies undertake to examine the onset and the pace of fertility decline it's variation and change among developing countries. This paper examines the interrelationships between the pace of change in the socio-economic development indicators and the rapidity of fertility transition in developing world.Method: Time-series data on the socio-economic and demographic indicators taking out from the World Bank reports, has been used for the present analysis. Cross-country data .for 90 developing countries analyzed here using Excel and SPSS software programs. Statistical analysis including bivariate and multivariate techniques employed to investigate relationships.Findings: A negative and relatively weak relationships found between the onset of fertility transition and the pace of fertility decline. In other word, the later date a country enter to the fertility transition, the slower will be it's fertility decline. There are also a high correlation between the levels of economic development (not the pace of development) at the time of entry to the fertility transition stage and pace of annual fertility decline.Discussion: Empirical analysis of data from the developing countries experience does not in support of prevailing hypothesized relations between fertility and development which argues that the association between fertility and development has been changing over time and the later time a country enter to the fertility transition, it experienced the more rapid fertility decline.In contrast, a negative and relatively weak relation appears between the onset of fertility transition and the pace of fertility decline after controlling for the effects of various socio- economic variables in multivariate models. This implies that those countries which were undergone their fertility transition later (and the most of them are sub-Saharan African countries), have experience slower fertility decline. Another important result of the study provide empirical supports for the hypothesis that those countries which enter the fertility transition at the very low level of socio-economic development experienced a relatively slower pace of fertility transition. In contrast, the most rapid fertility decline has been occurred in those countries which enter their transition stage at the relatively high level of socio-economic development. When the pace of fertility decline is examined in connection with the pace of changes in the development indicators, a significant relationships could be find only for those socio-economic variables that reflect human capital. Our results show that there is a positive and significant association between the pace of fertility decline and the rate at which such indicators as child mortality, life expectancy at birth, and the proportion of illiterate population shift over time. On the contrary, there are not significant relationships between the rate of increase in urban population and the economic growth with the pace of fertility decline. This can be an important result especially for effective policymaking concerning the population growth in developing countries.

Introduction: An important priority in society is attention to health and longevity, and trying for its maintenance and improvement. In current study the effects of social, economic, and environmental determinants of life expectancy were estimated for West Pacific Region (WPR) based on the Grossman (1972) theoretical model.Method: Multiple long-linear regression model and Panel data of 1995-2007 periods for WPR countries was used. Based on Hausman test, Parameters were estimated by fixed effect model (Least Squares Dummy Variable).Findings: The results of WPR estimated model have shown a positive and significant relationship between per capita income, education, employment rate, One-year-old immunized with Measles-Containing Vaccine (p<0.01), urbanization (p<0.05) and life expectancy.Discussion: The economic stabilization policies such as increasing productivity and economic growth, and reducing unemployment, play a significant role in people's health in these regions. On the other hand, policies related to improving health system efficiency, particularly revision on financing and health services provision systems, are keys for health and longevity improvement.

Introduction: Due to Irregular Growth and Expansion of cities, especially in developing countries, various issues and difficulties have arisen in different Economic, Social and Ecological Fields and various measurements and approaches in order to supply desirable conditions for today and future generations. Healthy City Approach is one these approaches as today it's a new mechanism proposed by the World Health Organization and running of course, but assessing that what city is healthy or when comparing to other cities in what level of healthy is located, still remains as a complicated and ambiguous affair.Method: In this study, using Delphi Method and Entropy Method, the criteria and indicators of Healthy City Approach and Proportional Priority Rate of parameters mentioned above are determined, respectively. Then, in order to prioritize the urban settlements through Healthy City Approach, the methods of SA W, TOPSIS and LA have been applied. Considering that the results obtained by methods mentioned above didn't have consistency in cases, therefore, in order to reach a general consensus, integration of Breda and Cap Land Methods were used for final prioritization.Findings: Evaluation and prioritization of urban settlements with healthy city approach in cities of Mazandaran indicating the city of Babol in Mazandaran province has allocated the first rank and city of Galoogah, Neka and Savadkoo have also allocated final rank to themselves. Next ranks, cities like Sari, Babol, and Noshahr after Babol enjoy more desirable condition, respectively, but instead cities of Joybar, Amol and Mahmood Abad, enjoy more undesirable conditions before cities of Galoogah, Neka and Savadkoo, respectively.Discussion: Thus, this study aimed to evaluate and prioritize urban settlements in city with Healthy City Approach in cites of province of Mazandaran has been developed.

Introduction: Improvement citizens' health and sanitary statue is a sign of human development in any society. In this study the importance of fair sanitary - treatment facilities and indexes distribution were considered, besides, the role of health and sanitary indicators in improving the citizens' life quality and sustainable development of the region, the distribution and development playa very important role comparatively among the cities of Azerbaijan Province.Method: In this study the descriptive-analytic one and quantitative data analysis techniques such as, Z score index, Spearman coefficient correlation, Topsis multi attribute decision making technique, AHP and clustered hierarchal data analysis method were used.Findings: There is widespread deficiency regarding the distribution of sanitary- treatment indexes throughout the province and the allocation of facilities is not in line with the cites' population needs.Discussion: As the administrative, political and economic center of Azerbaijan, - Orumiyeh city - is outstandingly the most developed one regarding health- treatment indicators compared the other cities. Shahin-dej, Mahabad, Maku, Takaab, Naghade are ranked next to Orumiye respectively and thus are known as semi-developed cities in this regard. The remaining cities were identified as deprived.

Introduction: Body is a phenomenon not only biological, but social and cultural and today as signs of personal and cultural identity, that can be socially built so its construction and function are a state of social and cultural beliefs. Researchers believe that the body and culture do not exist apart from each other, and the embodiment of body goes to people's culture and society in which live. General understanding of the body in a culture is a fundamental issue within the culture and society.Method: In this study, the relationship between body management and cultural capital by survey and case study has been investigated. in this descriptive- analytic study, questionnaires have been used. Sample size, contains 235 Tabriz University students which have been selected by using stratified sampling.Findings: findings show that the rate of body management among students is average, and there is a positive and significant relationship between body management and cultural capital. Regression analysis results show that among the independent variables two variables have been identified. 18.1 percent of variance in body management (dependent variable) to explain.Discussion: Cultural capital is one of the factors that explain body management among students, and increasing the cultural capital of students. it will lead to improving student's body management.

Introduction: Controversy over the relationship of gender inequality with health and its dimensions is not new concept for many years researchers have been discussing whether inequality could determine different levels of health in men and women. This paper examined the linkage between gender inequality in four key domains, economy, education, politics, and health and prevalence of HIY.Method: In this study secondary analysis as a basic method was used, related data were available in "The Global Gender Gap Report 2006" and UNAIDS statistics unit, the sample contains 115 nations from all around the world.Findings: Findings have shown that out of four sub indexes of gender gap index, only education attainment and its indicators, exception female net primary level enrolment over male value, have statistically significant correlation with HIY prevalence. Female gross tertiary level enrolment over male value showed the strongest correlation with criterion variable (r=-0.351). Discussion: Consequently, women more attainment to education, especially higher than primary education, might significantly predict reduce of prevalence of HIY.

Introduction: The aim of this research is to study the relation between sexuality, age, social class and job satisfaction as predictor variables with social health among teachers of Maraghe city. So in this research, the effective factors on social Health are identified. Then, on this basis an enhanced outlook, scientific and applied tactics are presented.Method: In this study survey was used. The statistical society of this research includes the teachers (male & female) of Maraghe city. Samples were 310 teachers who were selected through cluster random sampling. Methodology of the research is based on descriptive analysis. A part of needed information and documents have been collected from libraries. The tools of research was a standard questionnaire (Social Health Scale, Keyes, 2004). Reliability of questions was confirmed through Cronbach Alpha coefficient. This information is gathered by systematic interviews. For data analysis and testing the hypothesis F,T & Pierson correlation, for describing the study population and from descriptive statistics, were used. SPSS software type 15.0 was used for data's reductions.Findings: Effect of independent factors, sexuality, age, social class and job satisfaction on the dependent factors of social health in teachers of Maraghe city have been studied. According to statistical analysis of the data, the main result was obtained by using T test, there wasn't a significant difference between two groups male & female teachers in rate of social health variables such as Age, social class and job satisfaction factors also there was a meaningful and direct relation to the social health in teachers of Maraghe city.Discussion: There wasn't a significant difference between two groups male & female teachers in rate of social health. The finding also have shown that there was statistically significant correlation between factors of social class, age and job satisfaction as independent variables and rate of social health in teachers, in fact, they are effective main factors for the social health. Teaching social skills and raise the awareness can be very effective in enhancing the social health for the teachers. We also need to identify and protect the vulnerable teachers.

Introduction: Previous research studied the effect of Life Skills Training (LST) on psychological variables, and its effect on academic variables has been neglected. The purpose of this research is to study the effectiveness of Life Skills Training (LST) program on achievement motivation and academic achievement in the third grade high school students in Piranshar city.Method: The research method is experimental with pre-test, post-test and control group. The Population of research is comprised of all third grade high school students in Piranshar city (academic year 1388-89) and 145 of them (77 boys and 68 girls) were selected through cluster random sampling and were placed into two (74 experimental and 71 control) groups. The Hermans achievement motivation test (1970) was administered for all students before and after the training. The experimental group received the LST program as treatment. The averages of semester were used as academic achievement of students. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics methods and covariance.Findings: The findings showed that the LST program have effect on achievement motivation and academic achievement of students (P<0.001) and its effect on girl and boy was similar.Discussion: According to the role and necessity of Life Skills Training (LST), training of these skills must include in all educational levels as main component of curriculum of schools.

Introduction: parents conflicts and the way of it's resolution has main role in inconvenient social behaviors in children. Social adjustment and social problem solving are two cases of it. We inspect these in this article.Method: We selected 300 students in grade one and two from Tehran and Alame Tabatabaei universities as a research sample. Research instruments were conflict resolution, social problem solving, and social adjustment questionnaires. Data analysis methods were Pierson correlations and regression method.Findings: Results showed that conflict resolution styles predict problem solving styles and children social adjustment (R2=0.118).Discussion: Results verify that parent's positive conflict resolution styles related to children's effective problem solving. As another result we can mentioned that negative conflict resolution styles related to inappropriate problem solving in children. These findings are similar to another researches and assumptions of cognitive social theory, so it verifies the important role of parent's behaviors on children's social behaviors.

Introduction: Matrimony and finding a life partner is one of the most important elements of the social dynamic in a society. This research aims to compare the family functionality both in a modem style marriage and a traditional marriage.Method: In one study a comparative questioner, evaluates the functionality of the family based on McMaster technique. The other study includes demographic information and also the marriage scheme (traditional or modem) between 384 married women in the Tehran. This information is analyzed by using T and CHI2 models.Findings: The research shows that in problem solving there is no meaningful difference between women in modem style marriage compared to women in traditional marriage though a modem marriage proves a success when it comes to good communication, role playing, emotional response, Affective involvement and behavior control.Discussion: The research clearly shows pre-marriage familiarity between the couples and consequently a modem marriage will massively improves the functionality of the family and also the greatly stabilizes the foundation of the family.

Introduction: Supplies of illegal drugs play determinant roles in developing new cases, relapse after treatment and some health criteria. Recently, Iran has encountered an illicit new coming drug which belongs to Opioids. This article presents the crack supply in retail market in Tehran.Method: This qualitative study was conducted in 2009 in Tehran. In-depth interviews with drug dealers, drug users and key informants were performed by using open questionnaires as well as some checklists.Findings: Accessibility to crack was expressed as "very easily" Lack of money and police presence are the most problems of obtaining crack. Most of informants believed that the price, purity, and color had changed during time and the quality had decreased. The major impurity added to crack was pills. Crack dealing is more beneficial. in comparison with other drugs and it was due to poverty and need of the users resulting from addiction. In general, there was a wide variety of controversial opinions regarding the method of production as well as quality of crack in respondents.Discussion: Regarding the recent considerable increase in crack availability in Iran, rapid changes in crack quality and production has happened. Considering the top priority for the battle against this hard drug supply in comparison with softer drugs like opium, providing proper information and teaching it to clinicians and mainstream is highly recommended.

Introduction: Considering people with disabilities needs to empowerment in today's society of Iran, the main object of this article was to study how blogging expands social network and social participation people with disabilities, and as a rule brings about a sense of control over different aspects of their personal and social lives. Premised on the empowerment literature found, themes and sub themes of individual and social empowerment of people with disabilities' blogging experiences were detected in this study.Method: In-depth-interviews with 15 bloggers, both disability activists and the disabled, were conducted by using the snow ball sampling technique.Findings: Blogging had helped people with disabilities feel the power to make changes in their personal- lives, access necessary information, and change people's image of disability and thus, had helped them have more control over their personal lives.Discussion: Online presence had also provided them with the opportunity to meet with like-minded people, share experiences, acknowledge about other people's needs and receive of give social support, and thus, had enriched disabled bloggers' social lives and expanded their world views.

Introduction: This study investigated the impact of decrease in government expenditure on macroeconomic variables using Computable General Equilibrium (CGE).Method: The applied CGE model is based on the Iranian Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) of 1378.Findings: The obtained results from CGE model revealed that decrease in government expenditure, under floating (fixed) exchange rate regime results in GDP reduction (increase) a little. While prices increase insignificantly only when floating exchange rate regime is considered. In addition, it was found that reduction in government expenditure under fixed exchange rate regime may lead to increase in exports especially agricultural exports.Discussion: The results also showed that reduction in government expenditure contributes to agriculture output expansion while it shrinks non -agriculture output.

Introduction: Assessment of the organization in the case of indices of knowledge and experience sharing is counted as a base of programming and implementation in every organization. In other words, assessing of utility of hardware and software infrastructures with the aim of finding weakness and strength in executive processes and improvement in organization could be more beneficial.Method: In this study five hypotheses in relation to organizational context, considering existing technology, team characteristics, cultural characteristics, competitive characteristics, individual characteristics, motivational factors and confidence were investigated. The research scale was a questionnaire that its reliability was calculated 0.919 by Cronbach's Alpha method. 108 managers of the mentioned university and its followed medical centers participated in this research. Then, data Was analyzed by SPSS and T-test.Findings: Most managers believed that organizational structure of the mentioned university was not suitable for knowledge and experience sharing among them, considering the existing technology. Also contributions among teams were not adequate for knowledge and experience sharing among them. Also, organizational culture didn't help the knowledge and experience sharing among managers. But most managers believed that managers' individual characteristics provided a suitable context for knowledge and experience transfer. Also, motivational factors and confidence help knowledge and experience sharing among managers.Conclusion: Organizational structure for knowledge and experience sharing among managers, considering existing technology, and organizational culture should be improved. Also level of the contributions among teams should be increased.