Community participation is critical for ensuring that health programs are effective, equitable, and responsive to the needs of the community. By involving community members in the planning and implementation of these programs, we can build stronger, healthier communities that are better equipped to address health challenges.
The purpose of this study was to identify the challenges and strategies to improve the level of responsiveness of the health system in Iran from the perspective of health professionals using Q methodology. 5 factors were identified, including problems with government systems, lack of necessary skills of health professionals, and weak coordination between departments in the implementation of health programs.
Studies show that effective community participation is a key factor for Health Impact Assessment (HIA) to be successful in integrating health considerations and non-health policies. Community participation is generally considered a core element in HIA.
The findings of our study showed that one of the main barriers to participation in the implementation of health programs based on community participation is the problems related to government systems in the implementation of health programs, such as lack of public trust and social and economic problems.
Another barrier identified in the study was the lack of attractiveness and incentive levers in the implementation of health programs based on community participation. Without input from community members, healthcare providers may not fully understand the cultural, social, and economic factors that impact health outcomes in the community.
The study also found that the lack of essential skills of health professionals and weak inter-sectoral coordination in the implementation of the health program were barriers to effective community participation. The lack of training and capacity building for health workers involved in the implementation of health programs was considered a barrier to effective community participation.
Additionally, the study identified problems related to the community as a barrier, including the lack of awareness of linguistic and cultural issues and the absence of community representatives in the planning of participation in health programs.
In conclusion, effective community participation is crucial for the success of health programs, and it is important to address the identified barriers to improve the level of responsiveness of the health system.