Exploring Barriers to the Development of Home Health Care in Iran: A Qualitative Study

Changes in society’s needs have increased individuals’ desire to be independent and receive health care at home. Home health care (HHC) is one of the main components of realizing these ambitions. However, there is a serious concern about the state of development of the HHC industry in Iran and the quality of its services. This study aims to explore the barriers to the development of HHC in Iran. This qualitative study with a conventional content analysis approach was conducted in Tabriz, Iran, from October 2019 to March 2020. Twenty-one key stakeholders including nurses, home health directors, physicians, policy-makers, patients, and their families participated in the study. Participants were selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected using a focus group discussion (FGD) and 18 semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed using Graneheim and Lundman’s techniques. Data collection continued until saturation was reached. Three main themes emerged from the analysis: quality management challenges, insufficient infrastructure and policy, and political issues. The findings show that applying standard strategies to monitor the quality of services, paying attention to infrastructure, and having a clear framework for policy-making are beneficial for the development of the HHC industry. Health managers can monitor and upgrade the quality of HHC services by defining standards and assessment indicators, as well as providing comprehensive data. It is suggested that legislators consider the principles of community-based accountability, justice, and accessibility their top priority. Moreover, policymakers need to develop a roadmap to reform policies to create the conditions for the development of this industry.