LAUSR

Objective To investigate the effect of the health sector evolution plan (HSEP) on hospitalization and cesarean section (C-section) rates in Kermanshah province in the western region of Iran. Design Interrupted time series analysis. Setting Hospital care system in Kermanshah province. Study Participants Fifteen hospitals affiliated to Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MoHME) in Kermanshah province. Intervention(s) Health sector evolution plan. Main Outcome Measures Hospitalization rate and C-section rate. Results We observed a statistically significant increase in the hospitalization rate (12.9 hospitalizations per 10 000 population, P < 0.001) in the first month after the implementation of the HSEP. Compared with the monthly trend in hospitalization rate before the intervention, we found a significant increase of 0.70 hospitalizations per 10 000 population (P < 0.001) in monthly trend in hospitalization rate after the HSEP. Although the proportion of C-section from total deliveries decreased by 11% (P = 0.044) in the first month after the implementation of the HSEP, the proportion of C-section from total deliveries increased at the rate of 0.0017% (P = 0.001) per month during post-intervention period. Conclusion We found an increase in the hospitalization rate after the intervention of HSEP. Although the C-section rate in the first month after the HSEP decreased, we observed an increasing trend in C-section rate over the study period; this implies that the HSEP did not promote vaginal delivery in Iran, which is outlined as one of the objectives of the intervention.