Evaluation of the primary health care expansion program with public-private partnership in slum areas from the perspective of stakeholders: a qualitative study

Abstract Background Today, economic and social determinants of health in slum settlements are at the policymakers’ center of attention. Iran has had an excellent experience in the Primary Health Care Program. This study aimed to evaluate the Primary Health Care Expansion Program with public-private partnerships in slum areas of Iran from the perspective of stakeholders in 2022. Methods This qualitative study was conducted using the framework content analysis method. Participants were 17 experts and health managers involved in The Primary Health Care Expansion with Public-Private Partnerships in the suburban areas at the medical universities of Khorasan Razavi province in the east of Iran, who were selected through purposive sampling via snowball method. For data collection, a semi-structured interview was done and framework content analysis was used for data analysis and results categories based on the SWOT. Results The study identified 23 main themes and 112 sub-themes, which were then grouped into four main categories - strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats using the SWOT model. Conclusion Results of the study showed the internal and external factors affecting Primary Health Care Expansion with Public-Private Partnerships in suburban areas. This situational analysis can help health policymakers to better understand the performance of health facilities.