Background: The equality in the distribution of vaccines between and within countries along with follow sanitation tips and observe social distance, are effective strategies to rid the world of COVID-19 pandemic. Inequality in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccine, in addition to causing inequity to the population health, has a significant impact on the process of economic recovery. Methods: All published original papers on the inequality of Covid-19 vaccine distribution and the factors affecting it were searched in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and ProQuest databases between December 2020 to 30 May 2022. Selection of articles, extraction of their data and qualitative assessment (by STROBE) were performed by two researchers separately. Data graphing form was used to extract detailed data from each study and then, the collected data were classified. Results: A total of 4623 articles were evaluated. After removing duplicates and screening the title, abstract and full text of articles, 22 articles were selected and entered into the study. Fifteen (68.17%) studies were conducted in the United States, three (13.64%) in Europe, three (13.64%) in Asia and one (6.66%) in Oceania. Factors affecting the inequality in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccine were classified into macro and micro levels determinants. Conclusion: Macro determinants of inequality in the Covid-19 vaccine distribution were consisted of economic (stability and country’s economic status, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, financial support and human development index), infrastructure and health system (appropriate information system, functional cold chains in vaccine transport, transport infrastructure, medical and non-medical facilities per capita, healthcare access and quality), legal and politics (vaccination allocation rules, health policies, political ideology and racial bias), and epidemiologic and demographic factors (Covid-19 incidence and deaths rate, life expectancy, vulnerability to Covid-19, working in medical setting, comorbidities, social vulnerability, incarceration and education index). Moreover, micro/ individual level factors were included in economic (household’s income, home ownership, employment, poverty, access to healthy food and residency in the deprived areas) and demographic and social characteristics (sex, age, race, ethnic, religion, disability, location (urban/rural) and insurance coverage).

Background: Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the Western Hemisphere. It is the third most common cancer in men after prostate and lung cancers and the second most common cancer in women after breast cancer. According to some studies, the incidence and prevalence of colorectal cancer is increasing rapidly.Main Body: In the present study, a systematic review of the articles related to the economic burden of colorectal cancer was carried out. The articles were taken from the following databases: SID, Medline/Pubmed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, NHS Economic Evaluation Database (EED), Econlit, and Google Scholar. Furthermore, the PICOTS model was used to select the inclusion criteria. The quality of the articles' methodologies was evaluated using Drummond's checklist. Then, some data were extracted from relevant articles, in terms of year, place of research, sample size, costing approach, type of measured costs, average direct medical costs, average direct nonmedical costs, and average indirect costs. The data from 37 studies dealing with the costs of patients with colorectal cancer were extracted. Most of the studies were conducted in the United States, and the social perspective was the most common perspective to measure the costs. According to the majority of the studies, direct medical costs were considered the greatest driver in causing the economic burden of colorectal cancer. The costs of hospitalization, medicine, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy accounted for the largest share of direct medical costs, and the costs of transportation, accommodation, and home care were the greatest share of direct nonmedical costs. Furthermore, the costs associated with disability, absenteeism, and premature death were identified as the main drivers of indirect costs.Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that colorectal cancer imposes great direct and indirect costs on families, the health system, and society. The best way to deal with this disease and, hence, to reduce its economic burden is to take comprehensive preventive measures and modify the lifestyle. In addition, health policymakers can limit the costs of this disease by expanding the screening program.

Fair financial contribution in healthcare financing is one of the main goals and challengeable subjects in the evaluation of world health system functions. This study aimed to investigate the equity in healthcare financing in Shiraz, Iran in 2018. This was a cross- sectional survey conducted on the Shiraz, Iran households. A sample of 740 households (2357 persons) was selected from 11 municipal districts using the multi-stage sampling method (stratified sampling method proportional to size, cluster sampling and systematic random sampling methods). The required data were collected using the Persian format of “World Health Survey” questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using Stata14.0 and Excel 2007. The Gini coefficient and concentration and Kakwani indices were calculated for health insurance premiums (basic and complementary), inpatient and outpatient services costs, out of pocket payments and, totally, health expenses. The Gini coefficient was obtained based on the studied population incomes equal to 0.297. Also, the results revealed that the concentration index and Kakwani index were, respectively, 0.171 and − 0.125 for basic health insurance premiums, 0.259 and − 0.038 for health insurance complementary premiums, 0.198 and − 0.099 for total health insurance premiums, 0.126 and − 0.170 for outpatient services costs, 0.236 and − 0.061 for inpatient services costs, 0.174 and − 0.123 for out of pocket payments (including the sum of costs related to the inpatient and outpatient services) and 0.185 and − 0.112 for the health expenses (including the sum of out of pocket payments and health insurance premiums). The results showed that the healthcare financing in Shiraz, Iran was regressive and there was vertical inequity and, accordingly, it is essential to making more efforts in order to implement universal insurance coverage, redistribute incomes in the health sector to support low-income people, strengthening the health insurance schemes, etc.

Background and Aims: Gastric cancer is the fifth most common cancer, as well as the fourth leading cause of cancer‐related mortality. It significantly burdens patients, families, and the healthcare system. Considering this large economic impact, this review study aims to evaluate the total economic burden of gastric cancer. Methods: An extensive search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and ProQuest databases for all original research articles that evaluated/reported the economic burden of gastric cancer. No timing restrictions and studies up to December 2024 were included. The inclusion criteria were defined using the PICOTS model, and the quality of the selected studies was assessed using the Drummond checklist by two independent researchers. Data from each study were extracted using a standardized data extraction form. Results: The cost data originated from 17 studies of gastric cancer. Most of the studies were performed in Asia, and the societal perspective was the most common approach for cost measurement. Direct medical costs would represent the most significant component of the economic burden of gastric cancer, the authors found. Chemotherapy was the dominant cost factor among these. In addition, indirect costs included a significant share of non‐medical costs, such as travel, lodging, and home care. These included indirect productivity loss above due to absenteeism, premature mortality, and time costs. Conclusion: This review consolidates evidence that the economic burden of gastric cancer is multifaceted and substantial, driven predominantly by direct medical costs like chemotherapy but significantly amplified by indirect productivity losses. The variation in healthcare systems and stage at diagnosis are critical factors shaping this economic impact, underscoring the potential for early detection and tailored economic interventions to mitigate this burden.

Background and Aims: The World Health Organization declared eating disorders a priority, considering the risks they pose to adolescents' health, especially girls, except for neurological and mental diseases. Knowing the factors related to this problem can be a basis for designing timely and effective interventions. Therefore, this study aimed to identify factors related to eating disorders among Iranian adolescent girls.Methods: This scoping review was based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA‐SCR). A comprehensive literature search with related keywords was conducted on the Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and two Iranian databases, SID and Magiran, without a time limit. The articles were selected based on the entry criteria. After removing duplicates and checking titles, abstracts, and full text, 12 articles were included in the analysis.Results: Factors affecting eating disorders in Iranian adolescent girls were classified into two main categories: individual (lifestyle and diet, psychological factors, body shape, and menstrual age) and social (family's socioeconomic status, social pressures, and increased awareness).Conclusions: Eating disorders in adolescent girls are related to several factors. This issue helps to understand the consequences of developing eating disorders and provides the possibility to increase the existing interventions and ultimately improve the treatment for adolescents. Interventions can include education about healthy nutrition, correct information about body image, family support, conducting psychological sessions, and encouraging girls to be physically active.