Policy makers' viewpoints on implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in Iran: A qualitative investigation of program facilitators.

BACKGROUND: The epidemic of smoking is a great concern of health systems. Moreover, the number of smokers is increasing worldwide and this has led to an escalating trend of morbidity, mortality, and burden of smoking-related diseases. Therefore, monitoring the implementation of tobacco control laws in different countries is of extreme importance. This study aimed to describe policy makers' experiences and perceptions of the facilitating factors of the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) in Iran. METHODS: This was a qualitative research in which data were collected through individual interviews. The participants included policy makers who were members of the national assembly for tobacco control. In this study, 13 unstructured interviews of about 45 to 60 minutes duration were conducted in an extrapolative manner. The qualitative content analysis method was applied until extrapolation of basic themes was complete. RESULTS: As a result of the analysis, the themes of performance through training, through research, through intersectoral collaboration, and through setting priorities emerged. The emerged themes connote some critical points that have key roles in promoting the effective implementation of the WHO FCTC. Furthermore, the main role of the health sector becomes predominant. CONCLUSION: The study findings suggested the managed and coordinated work as one of the main facilitating factors of the implementation of the WHO FCTC at a national level.

Indicators developed to evaluate the international framework convention on tobacco control in iran; a grounded theory study.

This study aimed to develop indicators for evaluating the implementation of The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in Iran. We used the "grounded theory" framework. Totally, 265 policy-makers, stakeholders, and community members were recruited by purposeful sampling in 2008. After analyzing the gathered data, 251 indicators, including 82 indicators as "applied indicators", were derived from second-level codes for three groups. A suitable evaluation questionnaire can be designed based on the extracted indicators for policy makers, stakeholders, and the community to follow the implementation of the FCTC in Iran.