The impact of social determinants of health on early childhood development a qualitative context

Atashbahar et al. BMC Public Health (2022) 22:1149

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13571-5

RESEARCH

The impact of social determinants of health

on early childhood development: a qualitative

context analysis in Iran

Omolbanin Atashbahar1

, Ali Akbari Sari2,3, Amirhossein Takian2,4,5, Alireza Olyaeemanesh5

,

Efat Mohamadi5* and Sayyed Hamed Barakati6

Abstract

Background: Social determinants have a signifcant impact on children’s development and their abilities and capaci￾ties, especially in early childhood. They can bring about inequity in living conditions of children and, as a result, lead

to diferences in various dimensions of development including the social, psychological, cognitive and emotional

aspects. We aimed to identify and analyze the social determinants of Early Childhood Development (ECD) in Iran and

provide policy implications to improve this social context.

Methods: In a qualitative study, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 40 experts from Octo￾ber 2017 to June 2018. Based on Leichter’s (1979) framework and using the deductive approach, two independent

researchers conducted the data analysis. We used MAXQDA.11 software for data management.

Results: We identifed challenges related to ECD context in the form of 8 themes and 22 subthemes in 4 analytical

categories relevant to the social determinants of ECD including: Structural factors (economic factors: 6 subthemes,

political factors: 2 subthemes), Socio-cultural factors (the socio-cultural setting of society: 6 subthemes, the socio￾cultural setting of family: 4 subthemes), Environmental or International factors (the role of international organizations:

1 subtheme, political sanctions: 1 subtheme), and Situational factors (genetic factors: 1 subtheme, the phenomenon

of air pollution: 1 subtheme). We could identify 24 policy recommendations to improve the existing ECD context from

the interviews and literature.

Conclusion: With regard to the challenges related to the social determinants of ECD, such as increasing social harms,

decreasing social capital, lack of public awareness, increasing socio-economic inequities, economic instability, which

can lead to the abuse and neglect of children or unfair diferences in their growth and development, the following

policy-making options are proposed: focusing on equity from early years in policies and programs, creating integra￾tion between policies and programs from diferent sectors, prioritizing children in the welfare umbrella, empower￾ing families, raising community awareness, and expanding services and support for families, specially the deprived

families subject to special subsidies.

Keywords: Early childhood development, Social determinants, Context, Policy analysis, Health policy, Equity,

Inequality

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Background

Tere is a lot of evidence that shows vital development

in children begins before their birth and continues in the

frst 8 years of life [1]. In various literatures, this period is

Open Access

*Correspondence: [email protected]

5

Health Equity Research Centre (HERC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences,

No. 70, Bozorgmehr Ava., Vesal St., Keshavars Blvd, Tehran 1416833481, Iran

Full list of author information is available at the end of the article