The Policy Analysis of Iranian Children Play as A “Social Determinant of Heath”

Akrami F¹ (MSc, MPH, PhD Candidate), Damari B²* (MD, MPH, PhD), Eshrati B³ (MD, MPH, PhD)

¹ Medical Ethics and Law Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

² Department of Social Determinants of Health, National Institute for Health Research,

Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

³ Infectious Disease Research Center (IDRC), Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran

Original Article

Received: 2 Feb 2016, Accepted: 3 May 2016

Abstract

Introduction: Play oriented development provide an opportunity to achieve a state of good performance, and individual and social wellbeing. The current study was conducted to analyze the early childhood development policy, and to propose the play-oriented interventions.

Methods: In this Multi Methods research, health policy analysis triangle was applied to analyze the policy and develop the interventions. Situation analysis was performed according to the national and international archives, texts and websites, and in-depth interviews were used to stakeholders’ analysis.

Results: According to review of the documents and interviews with 21 stakeholders, the most common problems indicating the necessity  of the policy agenda setting retrieved as following: lack of national trustee organization for management, planning, inter-sectorial coordination, monitoring and evaluation of children's play and toys; the shortage of knowledge and attitudes of policy makers, managers, community, teachers, and parents; and lack of high quality and standardized toys and play facilities with unequal geographic, age and vulnerable groups distribution. Therefore, in the policy draft three major strategic targets were set, and interventions were proposed accordingly for each involving sector and community participation program.

Conclusion: Finalizing the policy draft by holding consensus sessions with representatives of the stakeholder organizations, it’s legitimizing, the formation of national council of children's play with attendance of important stakeholders, and following up the implementation of the proposed interventions could provide the possibility of achieving the policy objectives to reduce the social inequalities and meet the health equity.

Key words: Policy Analysis, Early Childhood Development, Play, Toy, Social Determinant of Health

Please cite this article as follows:

Akrami F, Damari B, Eshrati B. The Policy Analysis of Iranian Children Play as a “Social Determinant of Heath”. Hakim Health Sys Res 2016; 19(2): 89- 99.