Avoidable Mortality Differences between Rural and Urban Residents During 2004-2011: A Case Study in Iran

International Journal of Health Policy and Management 2013; 1: 287–293

7 Pages Posted: 4 Dec 2013

See all articles by Habib Omranikhoo

Habib Omranikhoo

Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Abolghasem Pourreza

Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Hassan Eftekhar Ardebili

Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Hassan Heydari

Mine and Trade

Abbas Rahimi Foroushani

Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Date Written: November 27, 2013

Abstract

Background: Avoidable mortality as an indicator for assessing the health system performance has caught the attention of researchers for a long time. In this study we aimed to compare the health system performance using this indicator in rural and urban areas of one of Iran’s southern provinces. Methods: All deaths (29916) which happened during 2004-2011 in Bushehr province were assessed. Nolte and McKee’s avoidable deaths model was used to distinguish avoidable and unavoidable conditions. Accordingly, all deaths were classified into four categories including three avoidable death categories and one unavoidable death category. STATA software was used to conduct Poisson Regression Test and age-standardized death rate. Results: Findings showed that avoidable mortality rates declined in both urban and rural areas at 3.33% per year, but decline rates were influenced by Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) and preventable death categories to treatable death category. Annual decline rate for IHD category in rural and urban areas was nearly the same as 8%, but in preventable death category, rural areas experienced more decreases than urban ones (7% vs 5% respectively). However, decline rate in treatable mortality neither in urban and nor in rural areas was statistically significant. Conclusion: Despite the annual decline in the rate of avoidable deaths, policy making initiatives especially screening and inter-sectoral measures targeting cause of deaths such as colon and breast cancers, hypertension, lung cancer and traffic accidents, can still further decrease avoidable deaths in both areas.

Keywords: Avoidable Death; Preventable Death; Avoidable Mortality

Suggested Citation

Omranikhoo, Habib and Pourreza, Abolghasem and Eftekhar Ardebili, Hassan and Heydari, Hassan and Rahimi Foroushani, Abbas, Avoidable Mortality Differences between Rural and Urban Residents During 2004-2011: A Case Study in Iran (November 27, 2013). International Journal of Health Policy and Management 2013; 1: 287–293, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2362241

Habib Omranikhoo

Tehran University of Medical Sciences ( email )

Number 21, Dameshg St.
Vali-e Asr Ave.
Tehran, 14195
Iran

Abolghasem Pourreza

Tehran University of Medical Sciences ( email )

Number 21, Dameshg St.
Vali-e Asr Ave.
Tehran, 14195
Iran

Hassan Eftekhar Ardebili

Tehran University of Medical Sciences ( email )

Number 21, Dameshg St.
Vali-e Asr Ave.
Tehran, 14195
Iran

Hassan Heydari

Mine and Trade ( email )

Tehran
Iran

Abbas Rahimi Foroushani (Contact Author)

Tehran University of Medical Sciences ( email )

Number 21, Dameshg St.
Vali-e Asr Ave.
Tehran, 14195
Iran

Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?

Paper statistics

Downloads
42
Abstract Views
537
PlumX Metrics