Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41638732›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2026

Socioeconomic inequalities in healthcare access among patients with type 2 diabetes in Iran: a cross-sectional study.

Adeleh Nikkhah, Ali Darvishi, Amirhossein Aghakhani, Ensieh Nasli Esfahani, Narges Zargar Balajam, Ramin Heshmat, Gita Shafiee

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Article in BMJ open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Adeleh NikkhahChronic Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9121-9590
Ali DarvishiDepartment of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3173-9065
Amirhossein AghakhaniEndocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1804-6034
Ensieh Nasli EsfahaniDiabetes Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6334-5469
Narges Zargar BalajamChronic Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4649-5953
Ramin HeshmatChronic Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9498-6397
Gita ShafieeChronic Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran gshafiee.endocrine@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3441-3578

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveSocioeconomic inequalities significantly impact access to healthcare services for individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study investigates these inequalities in Iran, focusing on factors such as asset, sex, urban-rural residence, age, education, employment status, and marital status.

designCross-sectional study.

settingThis study used data from the national 'Diabetes Care (DiaCare)' study, a population-based survey conducted from 2018 to 2020 in Iran.

methodsSocioeconomic status (SES) was assessed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) based on assets. Socioeconomic inequalities in access to physicians, pharmacies and laboratories were measured using the Concentration Index (CI) and Erreygers Corrected Concentration Index (ECI). Decomposition analysis was performed using a probit regression model to assess the contributions of various factors to the observed inequalities.

resultsAmong 13 315 patients with T2DM, 5.8% lacked access to physicians, 6.8% to pharmacies and 8.7% to laboratories. The CI was positive and statistically significant for access to physicians (0.0614), pharmacies (0.0787) and laboratories (0.0875), indicating better access concentrated among higher SES individuals. Urban residents had the largest positive marginal effects on access to physicians (0.032), pharmacies (0.078) and laboratories (0.053), with percentage contributions of 13.21%, 23.23% and 17.39%, respectively. Higher asset quintiles showed substantial contributions to inequalities, with the highest quintile contributing 10.5% to physician access inequality, 9.68% to pharmacy access and 9.16% to laboratory access. Education level also positively impacted access, with high school education contributing 0.64% and college education 0.52% to access inequalities. Sex differences showed a negative marginal effect for women, indicating slightly lower access.

conclusionSocioeconomic factors, particularly asset, residence and education, significantly impact access to healthcare services for patients with T2DM in Iran. Policies should focus on reducing barriers to healthcare access, especially for lower SES and rural populations.

Indexed as

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2Healthcare DisparitiesHealth Services AccessibilityAccess to Primary CareAdultAgedCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansIranMaleMiddle AgedRural PopulationSocioeconomic Disparities in HealthSocioeconomic FactorsDiabetes Mellitus, Type 2HEALTH ECONOMICSHealth EquityHealth Services Accessibility

Identifiers

PMID41638732
PMCPMC12878255

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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.