Examining the Relationship Between Healthcare Infrastructure and Public Health in Iran Using a Structural Approach Model
Keywords:
Life expectancy, Mortality rate, Private healthcare investment, Healthcare infrastructureAbstract
The present study aims to examine the relationship between healthcare infrastructure and public health in Iran. The importance of this issue lies in the fact that efficient healthcare infrastructures—including medical facilities, equipment, and specialized human resources—provide the foundation for improving service quality, enhancing equitable access to care, and ultimately reducing the financial burden on the health system. At a time when the disease pattern has shifted from communicable diseases toward non-communicable and chronic conditions, significantly increasing healthcare expenditures, analyzing the impact of healthcare infrastructure on key health indicators has become increasingly critical. To achieve this objective, a structural model was employed, enabling the examination of long-term relationships among the main variables in the health sector. The model was designed to analyze both private and public sector investments in healthcare and to assess their effects on indicators such as life expectancy and mortality rates. In addition, the role of other factors—including the number of hospitals, physicians, nurses, and specialized healthcare personnel—was incorporated into the model in order to present a comprehensive depiction of the relationship between healthcare infrastructure and public health. The results indicate that the development of healthcare infrastructure, particularly private sector investment, has the strongest positive impact on improving public health indicators, specifically by increasing life expectancy and reducing mortality rates. Public investment also exerts a significant effect on improving these indicators; however, its contribution is smaller compared to that of the private sector. Furthermore, strengthening human resources in the health sector—including physicians, nurses, and midwives—plays a meaningful role in enhancing public health outcomes. Conversely, variables such as population size and literacy rate, contrary to expectations, did not show a substantial effect on the indicators under investigation. Additional analyses revealed that the stability of the model and the increasing share of private investment over time underscore the necessity of paying particular attention to this domain.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Ali Atashak Maman (Author); Lotfali Agheli; Gholamreza Abbasi (Author)
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