The Right to Health and the Rights of the Patient in the upper Documents and Laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran: A Qualitative Study

Background and Purpose: The right to health and the rights of the patient are fundamental rights in Islam and legal systems, and their inclusion in the upper documents and laws of each country highlights the great concern of that system for human dignity. The present study aimed to examine upper documents and laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding the right to health and the patient's rights. Materials and Methods: This qualitative research was conducted using content analysis. The research steps in this study included sampling using the total number method of nine upper documents and the law of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Three units, namely text, counting, and analysis, were considered to ensure the accuracy of receiving the content. After coding, construction, and analysis of the category, semantic units in each upper document were extracted. Results: A total of 162 codes were extracted from the nine official upper documents and laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran related to the health of individuals and the rights of patients. Their semantic units included prevention (27 units), supportive (39 units), servicing (27 units), caring (13 units), special groups (4 units), and strategic (31 units). Conclusion: Most of the extracted semantic units pertained to strategy, and the least were assigned to special groups, indicating the insignificant role of paying attention to the health rights of special groups in upper documents; therefore, it is necessary to carry out necessary studies regarding its development in upstream documents and laws.