Strategies to Strengthen Iraq’s Primary Healthcare System: A Systematic
Literature Review with Special Focus on Society 5
Abstract
Background and Aims: The primary healthcare (PHC) system is a
comprehensive, equitable, and efficient approach to supporting health
and social well-being by offering prevention, treatment, and
rehabilitation services close to living environments. The PHC system in
Iraq is currently facing issues that limit its effectiveness and
efficiency. This research aims to discover strategies to enhance the PHC
system in Iraq. Methods: We conducted a systematic search for
articles on initiatives aimed at enhancing the PHC system, covering the
period from 1980 to June 2024, using eight databases and Google Scholar.
We included articles that met the criteria and analyzed them using the
framework analysis approach with RevMan 5.3 software. Results:
A total of 18,705 articles were extracted. After removing duplicates and
items without full text, 15,971 studies remained for title and abstract
review, of which 14,175 were removed. Finally, 18 research articles
related to PHC strengthening were used. Data collection methods included
checking databases (12 studies), interviews (6 studies), focus groups (3
studies), questionnaires, and archival data (15 studies). The majority
of research (44.45%) was conducted in Baghdad. Conclusion: In
the context of Society 5.0, smart technology’s practical applications in
healthcare aim to enhance decision-making, patient care, and service
delivery. Smart technologies can help nurses make clinical decisions in
complex care situations and streamline procedures like paperwork. When
rebuilding and strengthening the PHC system, addressing the historical,
social, cultural, and economic variables is important.