Farmehr Model: Iranian Women's Health Conceptual Framework

Women''s health is a broad concept that includes physical، psychological، social، cultural، and spiritual aspects، and is influenced by social، political، economic and biological factors. This definition offers a conceptual framework for an effective and relevant approach to women’s health promotion and disease prevention. Understanding women’s health is not only an emphasis on influences of biological factors and health care but also in a wider range of determinants of health such as education، culture and economy. There is no known national women’s health model to identify influencing factors، show their relationships and correlations in a schematic collection، and able to be used as a tool in defining indicators of health status، health promotion strategies and priorities for Iranian women. Women’s Health Scientific group in IRI Academy of Medical Sciences recognized this need and attempted for a theoretical model to explain the factors affecting health of Iranian women. This paper reviews and evaluates existing theoretical frameworks and models for health، and introduces a designed women’s health model (Farmehr) regarding aspects of the national، local، religious and cultural life of Iranian women. In this qualitative study، authoritative medical information were searched and collected from national and international databases. Documents were content analyzed by holding 23 expert meetings and based on concepts from existing models by which the content analyzed matrix was designed. Analyzing was used to facilitate the understanding and conceptualization of the findings; and preliminary model was developed. Then in two stages of six deep interviews and one focus group discussions with 15 key health experts and policy makers، their comments were considered and applied to the model. The women’s health model for I. R. I. Academy of Medical Sciences (Farmehr) was finalized. The constituent elements in Farmehr women''s health model include 53 elements، in which 17 elements are in individual level، 8 elements are in family level، and 24 elements are in social level. They all are divided in four subject groups. There are also four basic and fundamental elements affecting women’s health in an underlying subject group in the model. The Farmehr conceptual framework and model can be used as a tool for better understanding of women''s health، its affecting factors، data analysis and evaluation. In this model، relations between different aspects of women’s health، their multiple roles in life and external affecting factors are considered in one collection. It can be used to describe gender relations in the family، community، and to define appropriate health indices compatible with the conditions. So it makes possible to compare and evaluate women‘s health care and status more sustainable and credible in national and international levels.