title: Effects of Targeted Subsidies Policy on Health Behavior in Iranian Households: A Qualitative Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to explore the effects of national targeted subsidies policy on health behavior of Iranian households.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this qualitative study, data were collected between January 2012 and December 2013 through face-to-face interviews (23 experts in national and provincial levels of health system and 18 household heads) and through a comprehensive and purposive document analysis. The data was analyzed using a thematic analysis method (inductive-deductive) and assisted by Atlas-ti software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rising health care costs, removing some food subsidies and the increase in price of most goods and services due to the implementation of economic policy of targeted subsidies have led to significant changes in the demand for health services, changes in the consumption trends of goods and services affecting health as well as changes in the health habits of households.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Targeted subsidies and the cash subsidy policy have some negative effects on population health behavior especially among poor people. Hence, maintaining or increasing the cash subsidy is not an efficient allocation of resources toward health care system. So, it is necessary to identify appropriate strategies and policies and apply interventions in order to moderate negative effects and enhance positive effects resulted from implementing this economic reform on population health behavior.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Health Services Management, School of Management and Medical Informatics, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran ; Iranian Center of Exellence in Health Management, School of Management and Medical Informatics, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Doshmangir
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Health Education and Promotion, School of Public Health, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Parinaz
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Doshmangir
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Health Management and Economics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Nazanin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Abolhassani
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Health Management and Economics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ; Semnan University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Semnan, Iran.
authors.forename: Esmaeil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moshiri
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Health Services Management, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ; Research Center for Health Services Management, Institute for Future Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jafari
keywords: Economic reform; Health behavior; Health system; Iran; Policy; Subsidies; Targeted subsidies