A framework for health information governance: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: As a newly emerged concept and a product of the twenty-first century, health information governance is expanding at a rapid rate. The necessity of information governance in the healthcare industry is evident, given the significance of health information and the current need to manage it. The objective of the present scoping review is to identify the dimensions and components of health information governance to discover how these factors impact the enhancement of healthcare systems and services. METHODS: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest and the Google Scholar search engine were searched from inception to June 2024. Methodological study quality was assessed using CASP checklists for selected documents. Endnote 20 was utilized to select and review articles and manage references, and MAXQDA 2020 was used for content analysis. RESULTS: A total of 37 documents, including 18 review, 9 qualitative and 10 mixed-method studies, were identified by literature search. Based on the findings, six core categories (including health information governance goals, advantages and applications, principles, components or elements, roles and responsibilities and processes) and 48 subcategories were identified to form a unified general framework comprising all extracted dimensions and components. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the findings of this scoping review, health information governance should be regarded as a necessity in the health systems of various countries to improve and achieve their goals, particularly in developing and underdeveloped countries. Moreover, in light of the undesirable effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in various countries, the development and implementation of health information governance models at organizational, national and international levels are among the pressing concerns. Researchers can use the present findings as a comprehensive model for developing health information governance models. A possible limitation of this study is our limited access to some databases.

Information and health literacy policies during pandemics: A narrative review.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled governments globally to formulate policies addressing the unique needs of their populations. These policies are critical in disseminating accurate information and enhancing health literacy during crises. OBJECTIVE: This narrative review aims to identify and assess effective information and health literacy policies implemented during pandemics. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was performed across five electronic information sources (PubMed, Science Direct, ProQuest, Emerald Insight, Scopus), supplemented by Google Scholar. The analysis employed Walt and Gilson's health policy triangle framework to categorize and evaluate the findings. RESULTS: The review revealed that the policies could be grouped into several key categories: educational programs, laws and regulations, knowledge sharing, national programs, and different information sources. The development of these policies involved multifaceted processes influenced by political, scientific, economic, cultural and social factors, as well as the involvement of multiple stakeholders. CONCLUSIONS: This review offers significant insights and actionable recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders. By understanding the dimensions and components of effective information and health literacy policies, stakeholders can better prepare for and respond to future pandemics and similar health crises.

The Procedures for Documenting Organizational Knowledge and Experiences: A Scoping Review.

Background: The present study was motivated by issues with earlier studies on documenting knowledge and experiences. This scoping review investigates and maps the procedures for documenting organizational knowledge and experiences. Methods: Following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines, a scoping review was conducted. Data were obtained by searching PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest, Embase, and Emerald Insight databases and Persian databases, such as Magiran, Noormags, and Ensani. The selected terms were searched using the Boolean AND/OR operators, phrases, parentheses, and truncations in the title, abstract, keywords, and text word fields. The inclusion criteria were resources relevant to the research question, studies in English and Persian, original research articles, and resources published between 2011 and 2022. Finally, 8 related papers were selected as the research population after screening records. Results: The review of the selected studies indicates that there have been different steps for documenting knowledge and experiences according to the subject's scope and the goals of the studies. The included articles revealed numerous steps for documentation-including planning, acquisition, registration, evaluation, submission, maintenance, publication, application, payment, and compensation. Conclusion: Although a systematic mechanism for documenting knowledge and experience is essential, many processes and phases are offered for documentation. Therefore, a complete review that synthesizes and integrates past study findings must still be included. Several shortcomings in past research on documenting knowledge and expertise prompted the present study. The results of the present study can be of great use to managers and employees of various organizations in topics such as the creation of standards for documenting knowledge and experiences, organizational-structural planning in this field, and training on different documentation methods.

The mediating role of health literacy in the relationship between self-care and planned behavior against Covid-19.

BACKGROUND: Planned behaviors and self-care against the coronavirus are two important factor in controlling its spread and self-care behaviors depend on the level of health literacy. This research was conducted to determine the mediating role of health literacy in the relationship between elements of planned behavior and self-care in dealing with the Covid-19. METHODS: In this descriptive-analytical quantitative study, the sample size was calculated using Cochrane's formula and considering a p-value of 0.51, α = 0.05, and d = 0.05, and 313 students were selected based on stratified and random method. To gather data and assess various aspects of variables, a questionnaires were utilized, focusing on health literacy, self-car and planned behavior. The relationship between the variables was examined by SPSS version 26 and via descriptive statistics, including the mean and standard deviation, and inferential statistics such as Pearson's correlation coefficient (P = 0.05), path analysis, and determining the standard coefficients between self-care and planned behavior, mediated by the indicators of the health literacy. RESULTS: A significant difference was found between the level of health literacy of women and men. The comparison of the mean health literacy and self-care behavior in terms of other variables did not show any significant difference. Meanwhile, the comparison of health status control behaviors, hand washing, and mask use did not show any significant difference between the two groups. A positive and significant correlation was found between self-care behaviors, attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and behavioral intention. The relationship of health literacy and psychological variables of attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control with self-care against COVID-19 was significant. CONCLUSION: The direct and significant impact of health literacy on individuals' self-care behaviors against the coronavirus was not observed. However, health literacy did have a significant effect on subjective norms. This finding is important because subjective norms significantly influenced individuals' behavioral intention, which in turn had a significant effect on self-care behaviors against the coronavirus. Thus, health literacy played a mediating role in this relationship. Furthermore, attitude emerged as the strongest predictor of behavioral intention, exerting a direct effect. Conversely, perceived behavioral control did not directly and significantly affect students' self-care behaviors.

Factors influencing knowledge sharing between scientific specialists in knowledge networks and communities of practice: A systematic literature review.

Knowledge sharing is a competitive advantage and necessity for the success of any organization. Meanwhile, knowledge networks have been introduced as a way to enhance knowledge sharing between individuals and as an effective tool to facilitate knowledge exchange in clinical, educational, and commercial fields. The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors that can affect the level of knowledge sharing and exchange between academic and scientific specialists in knowledge networks and Communities of Practice (COP). A systematic literature review was conducted using the PRISMA guidelines. Four databases were searched, including Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and ProQuest. Google Scholar search was conducted to complete the search and ensure the tracking of the gray literature. Also, relevant sources, references, and reference lists of the related articles were reviewed. The studies were searched from April until August 2022 and finally the content analysis of the findings was done. Two reviewers independently assessed the quality of included studies. Data were extracted using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) checklist tool. Of the 1439 records, 13 studies met the inclusion criteria. This study identified three main categories of factors affecting knowledge sharing in knowledge networks and COPs as individual factors, organizational, and structural. The results showed that knowledge networks provide opportunities to overcome professional barriers and complex systemic challenges and lead to knowledge sharing and exchange among scientific specialists. This article has important implications for managers, health policymakers, and academics who wish to expand knowledge sharing of scientific specialists through knowledge networks and CoPs in knowledge-based organizations.

Identifying and validating the components for the development of an information system for health grey literature in Iran: A mixed method approach.

BACKGROUND: Considering the importance and necessity of establishing a nationwide information system for health grey literature in Iran, this study aimed to identify the main dimensions and components needed for developing a health grey literature information system in Iran and validate them according to experts' opinions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A mixed-method approach with an exploratory sequential design was used in this study. The research was done in following main steps: (1) conducting a systematic literature review to identify the potential components of the health grey literature information system suggested in the literature, (2) Interviewing 19 experts to explore further components required for designing the health grey literature system for Iran and doing a thematic analysis for analyzing the interviews, and (3) validating the identified components by a Delphi panel in two rounds for finalizing the initially-approved dimensions and components. Descriptive statistical analysis was also used for analyzing the Delphi panel's data. RESULTS: Eight dimensions were identified as necessary for developing Iran's health grey literature information system (including 31 components and 111 elements). The main dimensions included goals, data sources, minimum data set, data collection techniques, data content management procedures, quality control approaches, stakeholders, and management and policy-making. CONCLUSION: Using the identified and validated functional components in this study can be helpful In designing a health grey literature system that is of value for health policymakers and medical researchers as well as health information users.

Development and validation of a modified LibQUAL scale in health sciences libraries: application of Structural Equation Modeling.

Objective: The application of structural equation modeling (SEM), a statistical modeling tool for scale construction and development, is becoming increasingly popular in the health sciences librarianship and information science research. This study explores the application of SEM to health science libraries by describing the development and validation of a modified LibQUAL scale within an Iranian health sciences library setting. Methods: A literature search was performed across several information sources to identify candidate items to be included in the primary questionnaire. After translation, linguistic validation, and a pilot study, two cross-sectional studies were performed. SEM modeling framework was used for the assessment of the reliability and validity of the modified LibQUAL scale. The internal consistency of the scale was evaluated by measuring Cronbach's alpha coefficient and composite reliability. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used for the evaluation of the construct validity of the scale. Smart-PLS software was used for statistical modeling. Results: Composite reliability and Cronbach's alpha coefficient for each scale ranged between 0.90 and 0.95, indicating adequate internal consistency with the LibQUAL scale. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the three-factor model of the LibQUAL scale. The convergent validity of the scale was supported, as the average variances extracted for all proposed factors were above 0.50. The discriminant validity was also confirmed using Fornel and Larcker and Heterotrait-Monotrait Ratio (HTMT) methods. Conclusion: Evaluation of psychometric properties of the translated and locally modified LibQUAL in the Persian language indicated adequate reliability, factorial validity, and stability of this instrument for Iranian health sciences libraries.

Barriers and facilitators of conducting research with team science approach: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The present review aimed to systematically identify and classify barriers and facilitators of conducting research with a team science approach. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, Emerald, and ProQuest databases were searched for primary research studies conducted using quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods. Studies examining barriers and facilitators of research with a team science approach were included in search. Two independent reviewers screened the texts, extracted and coded the data. Quality assessment was performed for all 35 included articles. The identified barriers and facilitators were categorized within Human, Organization, and Technology model. RESULTS: A total of 35 studies from 9,381 articles met the inclusion criteria, from which 42 barriers and 148 facilitators were identified. Human barriers were characteristics of the researchers, teaming skills, and time. We consider Human facilitators across nine sub-themes as follows: characteristics of the researchers, roles, goals, communication, trust, conflict, disciplinary distances, academic rank, and collaboration experience. The barriers related to organization were institutional policies, team science integration, and funding. Organizational facilitators were as follows: team science skills training, institutional policies, and evaluation. Facilitators in the field of technology included virtual readiness and data management, and the technology barriers were complexity of techniques and privacy issues. CONCLUSIONS: We identified major barriers and facilitators for conducting research with team science approach. The findings have important connotations for ongoing and future implementation of this intervention strategy in research. The analysis of this review provides evidence to inform policy-makers, funding providers, researchers, and students on the existing barriers and facilitators of team science research. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This review was prospectively registered on PROSPERO database (PROSPERO 2021 CRD42021278704).

Cost-Effectiveness of Health Literacy Enhancement Intervention on Patients with Type II Diabetes.

Background: Type II diabetes is considered a chronic disease that influences the affected person's quality of life and imposes a high economic burden on the patient and society. The enhancement of health literacy seems essential for self-management and disease control in patients with type II diabetes. Consequently, this study was performed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of enhanced health literacy in type II diabetes patients. Methods: This study was of quantitative and economic evaluation type. A population of 232 patients was selected among those referred to the Tafihan Shiraz clinic based on the quality of entry and exit. The health literacy educational intervention was carried out for three months. In order to collect information, researchers used the SF36 questionnaire and the checklist of costs. The Cost Effectiveness Ratio (CER) and Incremental Cost Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) were calculated. Moreover, the costs of each unit of increasing the quality of life before and after the intervention were calculated. A decision was made to determine the cost-effectiveness of the intervention. Results: According to the results, 40% of the participants were females, and 34.5% were 30-40 years old. Examination of the quality of life in patients before the intervention indicated that the mean and standard deviation of the patients' quality of life before the intervention was 18.43±44.99, and the mean and standard deviation of the quality of life after the intervention was 49.57±16.21. Moreover, the patients' quality of life increased after the educational intervention. The total direct medical costs were $717,484 and $685,620 before and after the intervention, respectively. The total indirect medical costs were $604,122 and $493,011 before and after the intervention, respectively. Moreover, the total indirect costs were $122,535 and $122,119 before and after the intervention, respectively. The study was cost-effective with CER=0.9 and ICER= - 140,000 per increase in the quality of life. Conclusion: Improving health literacy can have a range of benefits and improve the quality of life of patients with type II diabetes and reduce their treatment costs, and thereby, this may be seen as an effective step toward the recovery of patients with type II diabetes.

Important Systemic Factors for Improving Adolescent Mental Health Literacy.

Objective: Mental health literacy is especially important during adolescence and youth, because the peak of the onset of mental disorders occurs in this period. The present study aimed to identify the effective systemic factors for improving Iranian adolescent mental health literacy from the Perspective of policymakers and experts. Method : This qualitative study was performed on 21 policymakers and health literacy/mental health experts since May 2020 to September 2020 in the workplace of the interviewees in Tehran. Purposive sampling (snowball method) was conducted based on experience, expertise, and the willingness to participate in an interview. All interviews were conducted with the presence of the interviewer at the interviewees' workplace in Tehran. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed via the conventional content analysis method. Results: Five themes were extracted as systemic factors for improving adolescent mental health literacy. Themes were "mental health literacy training", "integration and coordination of stakeholder organizations", "resources and facilities", "continuous assessment" and "provision of information." Conclusion: Before policy-making and planning to enhance adolescents' knowledge and awareness of mental health issues, it is necessary to attract policymakers' attention to the macro level and identify direct and indirect strategies for the correct implementation of policies adopted in this field.

Cancer and COVID-19 research studies with team science: a bibliometric study.

Team science refers to research initiatives considered in collaboration with scientists from different disciplines or fields. This paper presents a bibliometric analysis for visualization of global research activity concerning the combination of cancer and the COVID-19 pandemic using a team science approach. A bibliometric study was implemented using Web of Science from 2019 to 2021. We analyzed citations to identify description and citations analysis of results, most prolific countries, international research collaboration, most prolific institutions, research areas, most cited papers, and most productive journals. The preliminary data of 2,313 studies that adopted a team science approach were recorded and analyzed. Team science is becoming progressively popular in cancer research. The United States was the most active country, followed by Italy and China. The United States, the United Kingdom, and Italy had the highest level of cooperation with other countries. The most prolific institution was Harvard University, followed by University of London and the University of Texas System. Head and Neck Journal for the Sciences and Specialties of the Head and Neck, Frontiers in Oncology, and eCancerMedicalScience were the most productive journals. Governments, organizations, policymakers, and researchers should pay attention to team science approach at times of disasters such as cancer and COVID-19 to achieve the best strategies for controlling cancer that is currently a world problem.

The landscape of the characteristics, citations, scientific, technological, and altmetrics impacts of retracted papers in hematology.

Retraction is a mechanism for eliminating and correcting serious problems in the scientific literature and increasing awareness among members of the scientific community about unreliable literature. The objectives of this study were to identify the characteristics and reasons for retraction, analyze citations, and describe the scientific, altmetrics, and technological impacts of hematology retracted papers. Retracted papers were searched using the hematology category of the Web of Science database. The search yielded 101 retracted papers in WoS. Statistics methods such as frequency, mean, interquartile range (IQR), and Pearson's Correlation were used for data analysis. The findings showed the retracted papers were published in 28 different hematology journals. The majority of retracted documents were in Article type (n = 81). The mean time interval of the retracted papers from the first publication to retraction was 50.83 months. The largest number of retracted papers belonged to the United States (n = 46). The most frequently reported reason for retraction was misconduct (n = 55). The findings of this study provide a landscape into the characteristics and citations of retracted papers before and after retraction in addition to the scientific, technological, and altmetrics impacts of hematology retracted papers in the scientific community.

The role of online social networks in improving health literacy and medication adherence among people living with HIV/AIDS in Iran: Development of a conceptual model.

Online social networks have been used to enhance human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) prevention, diagnosis, and treatment programs worldwide. This study aimed to develop a conceptual model of using online social networks in improving health literacy and medication adherence among people living with HIV/AIDS in Iran. This mixed-method sequential exploratory study was conducted in three phases. Firstly, a series of semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 29 HIV-positive patients were conducted to investigate the perceptions and experiences of HIV-positive patients about using online social networks to support health literacy and medication adherence. Thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative interviews, extract potential components, and design a conceptual model. Then, a Delphi study with 27 HIV-positive patients was subsequently conducted to examine the consensus of patients on the proposed model. Finally, the trustworthiness and credibility of the proposed model were reviewed and evaluated by expert panel members from epidemiology and public health. Seven themes and 24 sub-themes emerged from the qualitative interviews. Five themes encompassed components of online social networks that supported communication and information-seeking behaviour of people living with HIV/AIDS. The two other themes encompassed social support and health-related outcomes including medication adherence. The credibility of the proposed conceptual model was confirmed methodologically using the expert panel and Delphi technique. Our findings highlighted that using online social networks has empowered Iranian people living with HIV/AIDS, making them more connected, safe, and able to access HIV/AIDS-related information and services. The role of online social networks in improving health literacy and medication adherence was also demonstrated in a conceptual model to understand the supportive components of online social networks in the HIV care continuum as well as customized interventions to improve the success of antiretroviral therapies.

Barriers and facilitators of implementing an information system for health grey literature in Iran: Experts' views and perspectives.

BACKGROUND: Despite the importance of health grey literature, there is not a comprehensive information system for managing these valuable resources in Iran. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed at identifying the barriers to and facilitators of implementing a comprehensive national information system for health grey literature. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This study applied the qualitative research method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted among 19 experts in related fields. A qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the data in MAXQDA. The data were codified and revised constantly and classified in some selected main and sub-categories based on their relative similarities and differences. RESULTS: Data analysis identified some barriers to the implementation of an information system for health grey literature in Iran, including two main categories (and some sub-categories): managerial issues (performance related issues, coordination issues, monitoring and supervision issues and attitudinal issues) and issues on data integration (data collecting issues, data recording issues, quality control issues, and issues on data organization, dissemination and use). CONCLUSION: Designing a national system for health grey literature in Iran needs a powerful authority, removing possible intersectional conflicts, a selection committee, written policies and strict quality control criteria, and protocols for storage, access, retrieval and metadata evaluation.

Patients' perspectives on the quality of online patient education materials: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Access to online patient education information can lead to more effective self-care and disease management. However, the large amount of online information provided through unknown or unreliable sources can challenge patients to trust and use this information. This study was designed to examine the opinions of Iranian gastrointestinal patients about the quality of online information used. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted using thematic analysis. Data were gathered via a semi-structured interview with 29 gastrointestinal patients, and data analysis was performed by qualitative content analysis using open coding with MAXQDA 2018 software. RESULTS: Based on the study, 22 codes were extracted in nine subcategories named as: "Emphasis on the identity of providers," "Nature of online information," "Distrust on online information," "Poor quality of information," "Giving misinformation," "False impact," "Improve communication," "Positive effect on the patient," "Better Diagnosis." CONCLUSIONS: In the current situation, Iranian patients are not confident enough about the quality of available online information. They believe that the use of current poor-quality information has negative consequences. However, they tend to use online patient education materials are produced in Persian by reputable scientific authorities. Using online information can increase patients' knowledge and lead to better communication with medical staff and other similar patients. They can use this information for self-care with more confidence, and such an approach can also have significant benefits for the national health system.

Recognition of factors affecting the use of volunteer clinical forces in hospitals in Tehran: A qualitative study.

INTRODUCTION: Volunteers are valuable human resources for service-providing organizations. Health system requires their participation and cooperation in all sectors to achieve more success. The present study was conducted to recognize factors influencing the use of volunteer clinical forces (VCFs) in Tehran hospitals from 2018 to 2020. METHODS: This is a qualitative study, based on grounded theory approach, and was done through semi-structured interviews. The studied population included the experts, managers of hospitals, and high-ranking managers in the Ministry of Health, Iranian Red Crescent Organization, and health nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Nineteen persons were selected by purposeful sampling method and interviewed. The achieved data were analyzed by content analysis method. RESULTS: The results showed that using VCFs in Tehran's hospitals was affected by eight following factors: organizational, legal, policy-making, economic, social, security, personal, and cultural dimensions. These findings illustrated the necessity of making changes in the structures, the rules, and the culture of health system to fit the bases with new approaches. CONCLUSION: VCFs amplify the quality and structure of service providing for patients in hospitals. The focus of policymakers and high-ranking managers in health system is on accelerating their use permanently and legally. Developing health-centered NGOs facilitates the access to VCF, lessens nonclinical loads of hospitals, and improves the organization of human forces. The experiences and knowledge of VCFs cause to develop hospitals' resilience, develop social participation, and improve social capitals in medical field.

Disciplinary-based information literacy skills among medical students.

INTRODUCTION: Disciplinary-based information literacy (DIL) or professional-related information literacy has not been widely studied in the academic context, including medical sciences. This study aimed at investigating the status of DIL among medical students in an Iranian medical university. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional survey. A random sample consisting of 298 students majoring in general medicine at Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran, in the academic year of 2018-2019 completed a valid and reliable 20-item questionnaire on DIL. Data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software. RESULTS: Participants' DIL was less than expected, especially in the skills related to professional information access and evaluation. The majority of them had low DIL level. However, medical students in their last 2 years of study had significantly high scores in DIL than those in their first 2 years of study. CONCLUSION: Information literacy has not been seriously considered in health-related higher education in Iran. It is needed to consider DIL in the medical curriculum for training students to be proficient specialists in medical practice.

Opportunities and challenges of social media for health knowledge management: A narrative review.

INTRODUCTION: Social media is becoming a new tool for developing health knowledge management. However, despite the rapid growth of research in this area, few attempts have been made to review previous research. This study tried to summarize the opportunities and challenges of using social media to managing health knowledge. METHODOLOGY: This article used a narrative approach to collect and review studies. In this review, published documents during 2010-2019 were retrieved by search in the following three electronic scientific databases: Web of Knowledge, PubMed, and Google Scholar search engine using keywords including social media, public health, health knowledge, knowledge management, and health promotion. RESULTS: Social media by overcoming geographical barriers, developing health promotion, facilitating decision-making, and providing public health education has been able to enhancing health awareness and improving health behavior. Doctors' unwillingness to interact with the public, lack of compliance with the principles of medical ethics, users' privacy concerns, and difficulty of managing negative comments are the four challenges to health knowledge management in social media. CONCLUSION: Social media can be a suitable tool for developing health knowledge management processes if medical professional ethics and users' privacy managed properly.

Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders in Iran: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

The prevalence of mental disorders in Iran is rising for many reasons including the population growth and its problems, the collapse of the family foundation, the economic problems, etc. Epidemiological studies of psychiatric disorders play an important role in determining the general mental health of the population and policy-making and future planning of service delivery. To identify the relevant studies, two authors independently searched different scholarly databases including Embase, PubMed/MEDLINE, ISI/Web of Science (WOS), Scopus, Psych INFO, and Iranian databases such as MagIran, SID, IranPsych, and Irandoc from 1st January 2007 up to 1st July 2018. The gray literature (through Google Scholar) was also mined. Studies written in English or in the Persian language were searched. After searching the databases and removing duplicates cases, a total of 10 studies were selected and included in the study, which reported a total of 14 prevalence rates. There were a total of 72,262 participants, of whom 32,925 were male and 39,337 were female. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders in studies which used screening tool was 31.03% (95% confidence interval: 25.99-36.07). The prevalence was 25.42% in studies which used clinical interviews (95% CI: 15.96-34.88). There is an undeniable fact that the prevalence of mental disorders in Iran has been increasing, and this could be a warning to policy-makers and health system managers. Hence, it is necessary to pay attention to this issue to maintain social capital, vitality, and efficiency of individuals and society as a whole.