title: Determinants of maternal mortality in Eastern Mediterranean region: A panel data analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As one of the main criteria of health outcomes, maternal mortality indicates the socioeconomic development level of countries. The present study aimed at identifying and analyzing the effective factors on maternal mortality in Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) of the World Health Organization (WHO).
  
  
  METHODS
  Analytical model was developed based on the literature review. Panel data of 2004-2011 periods for 22 EMR countries was used. Required data were collected from WHO online database. Based on results of diagnostic tests for panel data model, parameters of model were estimated by fixed effects method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Descriptive statistics demonstrated the large disparities in social, economic, and health indicators among EMRO countries. Findings obtained from evaluating the model showed a negative, significant relationship between GDP per capita (β=-0.869, p<0.01), health expenditure) β=-0.525, p<0.01 (female literacy rate) β=-1.045, <0.01 (skilled birth attendance) β=-0.899, p<0.05) and maternal mortality rate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Improved income and economic development, increased resources allocated to the health sector, improved delivery services particularly the increased use of trained staff in the delivery, improve quality of primary care centers, mitigating the risks of marginalization and its dangers, and especially improving the level of women's education and knowledge are the key factors in policy making related to maternal health promotion.
authors.affiliation: PhD Candidate of Health Economics, Department of Health Economics & Management, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, & Health Management and Human Resources Research Center, Faculty of Management and Medical Information, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. bayatim66@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bayati
authors.affiliation: PhD Student of Health Economics, Health Management and Economics Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. vahedi.s3@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sajad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vahedi
authors.affiliation: PhD Candidate of Health Economics, Department of Health Economics & Management, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. firooz.esmaeilzadeh@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Firooz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Esmaeilzadeh
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Health Services Management, Faculty of Management and Medical Information, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. zhr.kavosi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kavosi
authors.affiliation: BSc, Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. zjamali923@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jamali
authors.affiliation: PhD Student of Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. rajabiepid@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Abdolhalim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rajabi
authors.affiliation: PhD student of Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. y.alimohamadi67@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yousef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Alimohamadi
keywords: EMRO; Maternal health; Maternal mortality rate; Panel data model