Priorities of Research in Health Management, Economic, and Policy Fields: A Qualitative Study in Iran

Effective and efficient use of health system resources requires prioritization of research issues. The aim of this study was to determine research priorities in the fields of health management, economic, and policy.
This qualitative study was conducted based on content analysis method in 2015. The population included 30 health managers, experts, and teachers of health economic, management, and policy at national level. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview. Then, results were categorized based on different themes and domains.
After taking all comments into account, 89 topics were determined as research priorities. These topics included: 42 topics in health services management field, 24 topics in health economics field, and 23 topics in health policy field.
The results showed that research priorities of health services administration, health economic, and health policy fields were compatible with the current problems and challenges of Iranian health system.