Core health indices during 2000-2007: a cpmarsion between Iran and other southwest Asian countries

Objective (s): To compare health conditions in Iran and southwest Asian countries. Fifteen core health indices as reported by World Health Organization (WHO) for the period of 2000-2007 were listed for Iran and southwest Asain countires. The numerical taxonomy techniquewas used to rank and measure the degree of health development amog all 26 southwest Asian countries. The Results showed that the ranking of Iran decreased from 11 in 2000 to 12 in 2007. The highest ranking of Iran was 10 during 2003-2006 and during this period there was no progress in position of Iran. Since then the ranking was decreased. The failure in ranking of Iran among between southwest Asian countries is alerting. Perhaps this might be concequence of discontinuity in growing trends of development in health sector during the period under review. Indeed the findings has some implications for policy and practice.