Current status of health index in Tehran: A multidimensional approach

Background: Health is an essential component of human rights and the rights are interdependent, indivisible, and correlated. The present study aimed at codifying a multidimensional health index according to multistage index development and describing the status of this index in 22 municipal districts of Tehran. Methods: This study was conducted using the data collected in the second round of Urban HEART Project of Tehran (2012-2013). The sample size was 34 700. To develop a multidimensional health index (MDHI), the nine steps of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) were followed, from codifying theoretical framework to introducing the index. Results: According to the constructed MDHI, the districts no. 13, 10, 17, 1, 3, 4, and 22 had the best status and the district no. 8 the worst status. With respect to physical health, the districts no. 13, 17, 1, 3, 10, and 18 had the best status and the district no. 8 the worst. Concerning mental health, the districts no. 3, 6, 1, and 10 had the best status and the districts no. 8 and 12 the worst status. With respect to social health, the districts no. 10, 22, and 21 had the best status and the districts no. 6, 7, 12, and 14 the worst status. The analysis of sensitivity indicated that the MDHI was more sensitive towards physical health. Based on the mean, minimum, and maximum scores on each indicator of the questionnaires, the physical, mental, social, and MDHI status of Tehran residents (2012-2013) was high-medium, medium, low-medium, and high-medium, respectively. Conclusion: The right to health should be widely investigated, as it is a primary principle needed for sustainable development, which can be accomplished when the attitudes of different organizations towards the health construct are multidimensional rather than unidimensional.