Designing Strategies for the Development of Health and Physical Activities of Women in Iran

: The current study aimed to design strategies to develop women’s health and physical activities in Iran. This study was drafted in the descriptive-correlational framework following an applied objective. The population of the study in the qualitative section consisted of 10 professors of sports management and sociology and in the quantitative section consisted of 160 experts (e.g., female sports managers and experts, women’s sports activists, and professors of sports management) selected through a purposive and comprehensive sampling method. Data collection was performed through a 20-items questionnaire drafted to examine the four fundamental factors of the study (e.g., management, social, economic, and cultural factors). The content validity and face validity of the questionnaire were confirmed by 10 university faculty members. The structural equation modeling in PLS software (version 3) was used to analyze the statistical data. The findings of the study indicated that among the study variables, the variable of management in the development of health and physical activities, with a correlation level of 75% and at a value of 5.696, was considered the most effective variable. Furthermore, among the essential elements of the study, in the cultural factor, the effect of the social values and beliefs in the participation of women in sports activities was reportedly at a correlation rate of 87%. In the management factor, the assignment of management roles to women in sports was at a correlation rate of 85%. In the economic factor, the element of budget allocation to women’s sports was at a correlation rate of 73%. In the social factor, the impact of the Ministry of Health and Education and the Ministry of Sports and Youth in creating sports events for the development of women’s health in the various provinces of Iran was at a correlation rate of 92%. All of the aforementioned items were among the most contributing factors in the essential elements of the study. In conclusion, it can be stated that the Ministry of Sports and Youth and the Federations of Public Sports succeeded to initiate programs in the development of Iranian women’s health and sports by employing a comprehensive plan that included allocating budget, highlighting the role of women in the sports management positions, and cooperating with different agencies and organizations.