Integration of Palliative Care into the Primary Health Care of Iran: A Document Analysis

Background: Providing palliative care (PC) is increasing by the increase in the number of people with life-threatening diseases and determined the benefits of these services in the community. Access to palliative care is a patient’s rights and ethical responsibility. Thus it is necessary to integrate into all level of the health system, including the primary health care. This study was conducted to assess the requirements for the integration of PC into the primary health care. Method: It was a document analysis, carried out through conventional content analysis and 10 national documents on PC, released by governmental organizations from 2010. The 4-step Scott method was used for the data validity and the coding process was done utilizing MAXQDA 10 software. Results: Base on the data analysis, we identified the “requirements of the integration of PC into the primary health care”, was of 4 main categories and 12 sub-categories. The categories include “principles and basics”, “legislation and policy-making”, “the establishment of PC system” and “the need for civil support”, which were extracted by reviewing the documents. Conclusion: PC is believed to be in its early stages in the Iranian health system. Therefore, universal access to these services requires their provision at the community level. Thus, it is recommended that the principles and basics of PC in the country be explained and then, the necessary infrastructures of this integration be provided with the cooperation of governmental organizations, NGOs, and charities, through proper policy making.