Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Apr 7;24(1):96.
doi: 10.1186/s12939-025-02469-4.

Contentious population policy-making and its consequences: a health policy analysis

Hassan Joulaei  1 , Bahar Morshed-Behbahani  2 , Parnian Ghadimi  1 , Sadar Nadimi Parashkouhi  1 , Yasaman Mansoori  1
Affiliations

Contentious population policy-making and its consequences: a health policy analysis

Hassan Joulaei et al. Int J Equity Health. .

Abstract

Background: Governments strategically shape their population policies to effectively harness and sustain vital human resources, responding to the evolving dynamics of demographic trends and the intricate interplay of economic, social, and political conditions. Nevertheless, they strive to uphold their populations'health and fundamental rights. Iran's population policies have undergone significant shifts over the past four decades, reflecting changing socio-political dynamics and demographic challenges. This study aims to analyze Iran's population policies, emphasizing their implications for health outcomes and the status of human rights, offering important insights for governance in population policy.

Methods: We conducted a qualitative study using Walt Gilson's Policy Analysis Triangle framework. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and national policy documents. Thematic analysis was employed to identify themes across policy context, content, process, and actors.

Results: In the realm of population policies that impact the health and rights of individuals, members of parliament and pressure groups wielded the greatest power and influence. The policy-making environment was intricate and turbulent; governance exhibited poor and biased implementation; and, regarding content, an ineffective and inconsistent population policy package existed.

Conclusion: Population policies that overlook ethical principles and do not adequately address social needs or adapt to the evolving dynamics of societies pose a risk to individual health and infringe upon fundamental human rights.

Keywords: Iran; Policy Analysis; Population Policy; Reproductive Rights.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study is based on a thesis for the MPH course in health policy and has received ethical approval from the Ethics Committee of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (IR.SUMS.REC.1401.368). The informed consent form for participants.is as follows. Research project title Analysis of Iran's population policies in four decades Research project number IR.SUMS.REC.1401.368 Name of the presenter or presenters Hassan Joulaei, Bahar Morshid Behbahani, Parnian Gadimi, Sadra Nadimi Relevant faculty or department Health Policy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences Research objectives The purpose of this research is to examine and analyze population-related policies in Iran over the past four decades. This study aims to determine the content of these population policies, the contexts in which they have been developed, how these policies have been prioritized, implemented, and evaluated, as well as identifying the individuals, groups, and stakeholders involved in their formulation. How participants collaborated in this study Participants in this study will be interviewed by researchers using pre-determined questions related to population policies. With the participants’ consent, their voices will be recorded during the interview. Participants may choose to withdraw from the interview at any time they wish. They will be assured of the confidentiality and anonymity of their data, as well as their rights to access, correct, delete, or object to their data Possible benefits By participating in this study, you will assist researchers in providing actionable policy recommendations to policymakers for future population policy development Possible risks This study poses no risks to the participants involved Cost There will be no cost to participants for conducting this research Confidentiality and Access to Information Personal information, interviews, and recorded audio of participants will remain confidential with the researchers. Participants will have access to their data at any time and may request modifications. They may also withdraw from the interview at any time they choose However, the Institutional Review Board (IRB) overseeing the study to ensure the protection of participants'rights may access this information. Additionally, transcripts of the interviews may be utilized in future research Answering questions submit any comments or questions to the main project manager, Dr. Hassa Julaei at + 989177121762 Right to refuse or withdraw My participation in this study is entirely voluntary, and I am free to decline to participate or withdraw from the study at any time without affecting how the researcher or interviewer interacts with me Notification, suggestions and problem tracking Thank you for your cooperation in this research project. Please contact us with any comments, suggestions, or problems you may have during the research process by calling the Ethics Committee of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences at 32122438, or by email researchethic@sums.ac.ir or by fax at 32122686.. It is obvious that the follow-up of the issues raised is carried out in complete confidentiality by the Research Ethics Committee of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences I, ………….. …………………….., with full knowledge of the above, consent to participate in this research as a subject All information collected from me, as well as my name, will remain confidential, and the research results will be published in general terms in the form of information about the study group, and individual results will be presented without mentioning my name and personal details, if necessary This agreement will not prevent me from taking legal action against Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Health Policy Research Center, if an illegal or inhumane act is committed Signature and fingerprint…………………………………….., name and surname The names of the interviewers are: Bahar Morshed Behbahani, Hassan Julaie, Parnian Ghadimi, Sadra Nadimi Name, surname and signature of the project manager: Hassan Julaei Landline number: + 9887132112246 Mobile number: + 989177121762 Date: Consent for publication: Not applicable because this manuscript does not contain any individual person’s data in any form. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Walt- Gilson triangle framework for policy analysis
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Nargund G. Declining birth rate in Developed Countries: A radical policy re-think is required. Facts Views Vis Obgyn. 2009;1(3):191–3. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Moore RM, Allbright-Campos M, Strick K. Childlessness in Midlife: Increasing Generativity Using a Narrative Approach. Fam J. 2017;25(1):40–7.
    1. Patil VV, Udgiri R. Prevalence and psychosocial consequences of infertility among rural residents of Vijayapur area of Karnataka. J Krishna Inst Med Sci Univ. 2017;6(3):38–47.
    1. Cong J, Li P, Zheng L, Tan J. Prevalence and Risk Factors of Infertility at a Rural Site of Northern China. PLoS One. 2016; 11(5):e0155563. 10.1371/journal.pone.0155563. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Levine PB, Zimmerman DJ. Targeting investments in children: Fighting poverty when resources are limited: University of Chicago Press; 2010. p. 353–376.

LinkOut - more resources