Social Determinants of Health Research Center

In the modern world, perspectives onto health have drastically widened, and by necessity, other non-medical factors have gained momentum. Each of these factors per se or by interaction highly affect the issue of health, leading to inequity in cases. Determinants such as heredity, environment, and socioeconomic status exert significant impact on health and relevant outcomes such as lifestyle. In other words, Social Determinants of Health sucvh as income, educational status, occupation, nutrition and social caste more noticeably cause diseases than biological factors do; they play considerable role in our health which, if denied, may hamper our goals of health equity.

As the frontline of providng and sustaining community health, Minsitry of health is paying considerable attention to sicaol determinants of healthand health equity in order to achieve the highest optimal health level in the society. However, promotion and preservation of healthand eliminating some detrimental factors in health may be considered as an individual, national and international responsibility (as a common concern) demanding efforts from all stakeholders.

Statistics indicate that life expectancy after the 1979 Islamic Revolution has increased by 13 years to reach 71 years. Remarkable advances after the 1979 Islamic Revolution have contributed to health indexes such as reduced children’s and mother’s mortality rate, but there is still variation of statistics across different part of Iran. An absolute solution for these problems in the long run may not come true unless the existing inequity is in perspective for policy makers. Since treatment and health systems play their part in the community health up to 25%, the Wolrld Health Organization has systematically investigated the social determinants of health, and has formed a commission of Scial Determinants of Health (SDH) recruiting nations as members, of which the Islamic Republic of Iran is also a member.

Accordingly, the SDH center of Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences was inaugurated in 2011 fall by her Excellency, the Iranian Minister of Health, with four major goals in perspective:

1) Development and application of knowledge of Scial Determinants of Health

2) Supporting applied research in Scial Determinants of Health

3) Empowerment of the university personnel and faculty members in Scial Determinants of Health

4) Accreditation of the SHD center by the standards of the ministery