The Slums in the Mirror of Health: A Systematic Review Analysis from IRAN

Abstract

Background: One billion worldwide population are living in slum areas that mostly accompanied with high rates of poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, unhealthy situation, and inappropriate health-care services. The prediction of enormous growth of slums by 2030, led to a raise to address the “plight of slums” in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To address evidence based health related priorities, we conducted a systematic review to summarizing evidences on health situations of slums population in Iran.Methods: Six electronic databases were systematically searched for published studies without any restriction on age, time and language to assess health situations of slums in Iran by following the PRISMA protocol. All identified articles were screened, quality assessed and data extracted by two authors independently.Results: The finding of this systematic review in addition to overall view categorized in five categories: Health System, Reproductive Health, Infectious Diseases, Non-communicable Diseases and Their Risk Factors, Social Issues besides overall situation of Slums.Conclusions: Community-based participatory interventions with socioeconomic approach on modifiable risk factors; active response of health system; establishment new health care centers in slum areas; augmenting the quality of care; active case finding; and elevating health knowledge, attitude, and practice among slum dwellers is crucial to achieving SDGs.