Barriers and facilitators of implementing child injury surveillance system

Child injuries are a global public health problem and injury surveillance systems (ISS) can be beneficial by providing timely data. However, ISS implementation has challenges. Opinions of stakeholders of ISS implementation barriers and facilitators are a good source to understand this phenomenon. The aim of this study is to investigate barriers and facilitators of implementing ISS in Iran.

This is a qualitative study. Data were gathered through interviews with 14 experts in the field of child injury and prevention from Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME), medical universities, pediatrics hospitals, general hospitals and health houses during January 2017 to September 2017. Data collection and analysis continued until data saturation. Data were analyzed using content analysis through identifying meaning units.

Barriers were classified in three main categories and nine subcategories including management barriers (including performance, coordination and cooperation, supervision and attitude), weakness in data capture and usage (including data collection, data recording and data dissemination) and resource limitation (including human and financial resources). Facilitators identified in three areas of policy making (including empowerment and attitude), management (including organization, function and cooperation and coordination) and data recording and usage (including data collection/distribution and data recording).

The most important barrier is lack of national policy in child injury prevention. The most important facilitator is improving MOHME function through passing supportive regulations. Effective data usage and dissemination of information to those requiring data for policy making can help reduce child injuries. Coalition of stakeholders helps overcome existing barriers.