|
Politicization in the Health System: A Narrative Review
|
Mahboobeh Zomorrodi   , Saeideh Hoseinpoor , Yazdan Ahmadi , Reza Momen , Nasrin Jafarig Golestan * , Abbas Ebadi |
| , jafai_golestan_nurse@yahoo.com |
|
|
Abstract: (14 Views) |
Introduction: Politicization is one of the main goals of the health system, with extreme politics of governance factors, considerations, ideological research and biases. This phenomenon is also known to apply specific methods based on evidence and the field of medical ethics. This narrative review study was conducted with the aim of comprehensively defining, analyzing the factors, examining the factors causing it and the consequences resulting from it, and finally providing suggested solutions for optimal management of policy science in the health system.
Methods: This study was conducted in December 2024 using the narrative review method, with searches performed in the PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases, as well as domestic databases such as SID and Magiran, covering the period from 2015 to 2026. The keywords used in the search in Persian included politicization, health system, health governance, in health justice and evidence-based decision-making. Their English equivalents were policymaking, health system, health governance, justice in health, evidence-based policymaking. Studies were selected after reviewing the quality of the input, screening process, and output, and finally, 12 relevant, reliable, and analytical sources were used for the final analysis.
Findings: Health politicization is defined as the systematic and often non-scientific interference of political and ideological considerations and short-term factional interests in the processes of resource allocation, managerial appointments, and public health policies. Four fundamental dimensions of politicization were extracted: political allocation of resources, partisan appointments, data distortion, and politicization of crises. The consequences of this include a severe weakening of health equity and the erosion of public trust. Management strategies focus on transparency, institutional independence, and strengthening the rule of law.
Conclusion: Politicized health can become a potential and structural crisis for the efficiency and justice-oriented system. If the application of confrontational or adaptive strategies requires national determination and away from any ideological and political orientation to prioritize "health" as a universal value.
|
|
| Keywords: Politicization, Health System, Health Governance, Justice in Health, Evidence-Based Policy Making. |
|
|
|
Type of Study: Applicable |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2025/Dec/Mon | Accepted: 2026/Jan/Tue | Published: 2025/Jan/Wed
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Send email to the article author |
|
|
|
| Add your comments about this article |
|
|
|
