Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40405207›Full record

ArticleHealth research policy and systems2025

Identifying knowledge gaps in social determinants of health and related challenges in Iran; 2023.

Ahad Bakhtiari, Hakimeh Mostafavi, Efat Mohamadi, Fateme Yaftian, Sahar Kargar, Seyed Vahid Ahmady Tabatabaei, Zainab Alimoradi, Mahasti Alizadeh, Ali Almasi, Mostafa Amini-Rarani and 34 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Health research policy and systems, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

44 authors.

Ahad BakhtiariHealth Equity Research Center (HERC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
Hakimeh MostafaviHealth Equity Research Center (HERC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
Efat MohamadiHealth Equity Research Center (HERC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
Fateme YaftianHealth Equity Research Center (HERC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
Sahar KargarHealth Equity Research Center (HERC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
Seyed Vahid Ahmady TabatabaeiSocial Determinant of Health Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Zainab AlimoradiSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.
Mahasti AlizadehSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Health Management and Safety Promotion Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Ali AlmasiSocial Developments and Health Promotion Research Center, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
Mostafa Amini-RaraniSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Morteza Arab-ZozaniSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.
Nahid ArdianSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Department of Health Education and Promotion, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
Ghorban AsgariSocial Determinants of Health Research Center (SDHRC), Faculty of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
Samad AzariResearch Center for Emergency and Disaster Resilience, Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
Majid BabaeiSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Clinical Research Institute, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
Narjes BahriDepartment of Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran.
Masoud BehzadifarSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran.
Sara DadipoorSocial Determinants in Health Promotion Research Center, Hormozgan Health Institute, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
Fatemeh GhavidelHealth Equity Research Center (HERC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
Enayatollah Homaie RadSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Trauma Institute, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
Zahra Jorjoran ShushtariSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mahmood KarimySocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Saveh University of Medical Sciences, Saveh, Iran.
Ali-Asghar KolahiSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abdolhossain MadaniSocial Determinants in Health Promotion Research Center, Hormozgan Health Institute, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
Zohreh MahmoodiSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran.
Mohammad Moradi-JooSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran.
Masoud Motalebi KashaniSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
Simin MouodiSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
Ali Asghar NajafpoorSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Majid NakhaeeSocial Development and Health Promotion Research Center, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran.
Masoumeh NamadianSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Health and Metabolic Diseases Research Institute, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
Marzieh NojomiPreventive Medicine and Public Health Research Center, Psychosocial Health Research Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Fatemeh PaknazarSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.
Bakhtiar PirooziSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
Mandana SakiSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran.
Yaser SarikhaniResearch Center for Social Determinants of Health, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran.
Neda SoleimanvandiAzarPreventive Medicine and Public Health Research Center, Psychosocial Health Research Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Shahin SoltaniResearch Center for Environmental Determinants of Health, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
Elahe TavassoliSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
Amin TorabipourSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
Reza VazirinejadSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
Mehdi VosoughiSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran.
Amirhossein TakianHealth Equity Research Center (HERC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran. takian@tums.ac.ir.
Alireza OlyaeemaneshHealth Equity Research Center (HERC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran. arolyaee@gmail.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSocioeconomic determinants of health (SDH) account for about 40% of modifiable determinants of health, followed by health behaviours (30%), clinical care (20%) and physical environmental factors (10%). The "10/90 gap" is the idea that only 10% of global health research is devoted to conditions that account for 90% of the global disease burden. For over a decade, SDH research centres have been established in Iran to generate evidence and address SDH.

objectiveThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the activities and challenges faced by SDH research centres and identify knowledge gaps.

methodsWe systematically categorized 759 approved projects (2012-2022) from 29 SDH centres using predefined themes (e.g. mental health, COVID-19, social inequalities). Interrater reliability was ensured through dual independent coding, with discrepancies resolved by consensus. In addition, a bibliometric analysis of 5892 PubMed-indexed articles was conducted using VOSviewer, a validated tool for mapping research trends and collaborations. This phase provided objective insights into publication patterns, keyword clusters and interdisciplinary networks. Finally, semi-structured surveys were conducted with SDH researchers to identify knowledge gaps and prioritize research areas. Prioritization criteria (e.g. disease burden, equity impact) were scored using a five-point Likert scale, and the results were validated through an expert panel to ensure alignment with real-world challenges.

resultsOut of the 759 approved research projects gathered from 29 reviewed centres, 79 projects were related to mental health, and 53 were related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A total of 5892 articles from 35 research centres obtained by searching PubMed were reviewed and analysed with VOS viewer software. The most frequently used keywords in the centres' published works are COVID-19, meta-analysis, systematic review, depression, anxiety, and quality of life. In 11 clusters, the 35 research centres under investigation collaborate with 82 additional research centres. Measuring different SDHs at the population level and carrying out related interventions cost far more than the centres' annual budget. Because of this and other factors stated in the results section, the research centres have shifted their focus to smaller research and more accessible and limited groups and subjects.

conclusionsThere is a mismatch between the subjects that the research centres' researchers believe should be studied and the approved projects of the centres, as is evident from a review of the centres' projects and their opinions. Numerous issues may be the root of these discrepancies, such as methods for ranking research subjects, methods for selecting study target groups, how to assess research centres and the different criteria set by colleges and universities.

Indexed as

Social Determinants of HealthCOVID-19HumansIranMental HealthSARS-CoV-2Socioeconomic FactorsIranKnowledge managementResearch prioritiesSocial determinants of health

Identifiers

PMID40405207
PMCPMC12096498

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.