title: Slums' access to and coverage of primary health care services: a cross-sectional study in shiraz, a metropolis in southern iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The United Nations has predicted that the population of slum dwellers will have grown from one billion people worldwide to 2 billion by 2030. This trend is also predictable in Iran. In the Iranian metropolis of Shiraz, more than 10% of the residents live in slum areas. There are several problems regarding the delivery of social services in these areas. The aim of this study was to evaluate slums dwellers' access to and coverage of health care.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional face-to-face study included 380 household of slum dwellers via stratified random sampling. Demographics, accessibility of health services, coverage of health care, and route of receiving health services were recorded through interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately, 21.6% of the households had no physical access to health centers. The coverage rate of family planning programs for safe methods was 51.4% (95% CI: 48.86-53.9%). Vaccination coverage among children under 5 years old was 98% (95% CI: 97-99%). Furthermore, 34% of pregnant women had not received standard health care due to a lack of access to health centers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Limited access to health services along with inadequate knowledge of slum residents about health care facilities was the main barrier to the utilization of the health care in the slums.
authors.affiliation: HIV/AIDS Research Centre, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran;
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Joulaei
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Jackson State University, Mississippi, USA;
authors.forename: Azad R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Bhuiyan
authors.affiliation: Statistics and Information Technology Unit, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran;
authors.forename: Mehrab
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sayadi
authors.affiliation: Shiraz Geriatric Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran;
authors.forename: Fariba
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Morady
authors.affiliation: Control and Surveillance of Diseases Unit, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Parvin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Afsar Kazerooni
keywords: Health services accessibility; Primary health care; Slums
references.citation: Trop Med Int Health. 2005 Mar;10(3):240-5
references.pmid: 15730508
references.citation: BMC Public Health. 2009 May 27;9:153
references.pmid: 19473488
references.citation: PLoS Med. 2007 Oct;4(10):1561-6
references.pmid: 17958462
references.citation: Arch Iran Med. 2012 Jun;15(6):378-80
references.pmid: 22642250
references.citation: Lancet. 2005 Mar 5-11;365(9462):901-3
references.pmid: 15752535
references.citation: Harm Reduct J. 2006 Mar 18;3:12
references.pmid: 16545137
references.citation: Am J Public Health. 2003 Sep;93(9):1381
references.pmid: 12948945
references.citation: J Indian Med Assoc. 2011 May;109(5):315-7
references.pmid: 22187764
references.citation: BMC Public Health. 2011 Mar 08;11:150
references.pmid: 21385404
references.citation: East Mediterr Health J. 2010 Mar;16(3):259-65
references.pmid: 20795438
references.citation: J Community Health. 2007 Feb;32(1):37-55
references.pmid: 17269312
references.citation: Public Health. 2005 Jun;119(6):474-82
references.pmid: 15826888
references.citation: J Urban Health. 2010 Mar;87(2):264-277
references.pmid: 20148311
references.citation: Res Brief. 2009 Jul;(13):1-12
references.pmid: 19685599