The Challenges of Putting Systems Thinking into Practice; Comment on “What Can Policy-Makers Get Out of Systems Thinking? Policy Partners’ Experiences of a Systems-Focused Research Collaboration in Preventive Health”
In theory, ‘systems thinking’ offers a remarkably attractive solution to the persistent challenges of preventive public health. Haynes and colleagues’ recent analysis of the Prevention Centre in Australia offers reason for optimism that it might be possible to translate this promise into action on the ground. In this commentary, we critically assess the claims from this promising case study and their broader applicability to the cause of preventive health. We argue that, in many other contexts, persistent obstacles remain, such as a lack of buy-in from senior policy actors, and a lack of tangible or concrete action following through on an abstract commitment to systems thinking.
Greenhalgh T, Papoutsi C. Studying complexity in health services research: desperately seeking an overdue paradigm shift. BMC Med. 2018;16(1):95. doi:10.1186/s12916-018-1089-4
Rutter H, Savona N, Glonti K, et al. The need for a complex systems model of evidence for public health. Lancet. 2017;390(10112):2602-2604. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(17)31267-9
Kopelman P, Jebb SA, Butland B. Executive summary: Foresight 'Tackling Obesities: Future Choices' project. Obes Rev. 2007;8 Suppl 1:vi-ix. doi:10.1111/j.1467-789X.2007.00344.x
Clarke B, Swinburn B, Sacks G. Understanding the LiveLighter(R) obesity prevention policy processes: An investigation using political science and systems thinking. Soc Sci Med. 2020;246:112757. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112757
Haynes A, Garvey K, Davidson S, et al. What can policy-makers get out of systems thinking? Policy partners' experiences of a systems-focused research collaboration in preventive health. Int J Health Policy Manag. 2020;9(2):65-76. doi:10.15171/ijhpm.2019.86
Boswell J, Cairney P, St Denny E. The politics of institutionalizing preventive health. Soc Sci Med. 2019;228:202-210. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.02.051
Cairney P, Denny ES. Why Isn't Government Policy More Preventive? New York: Oxford University Press’ 2020.
Cockrell Skinner A, Foster EM. Systems science and childhood obesity: a systematic review and new directions. J Obes. 2013;2013:129193. doi:10.1155/2013/129193
Galea S, Riddle M, Kaplan GA. Causal thinking and complex system approaches in epidemiology. Int J Epidemiol. 2010;39(1):97-106. doi:10.1093/ije/dyp296
Leischow SJ, Best A, Trochim WM, et al. Systems thinking to improve the public's health. Am J Prev Med. 2008;35(2 Suppl):S196-203. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2008.05.014
Puska P, Stahl T. Health in all policies-the Finnish initiative: background, principles, and current issues. Annu Rev Public Health. 2010;31:315-328. doi:10.1146/annurev.publhealth.012809.103658
Swanson RC, Cattaneo A, Bradley E, et al. Rethinking health systems strengthening: key systems thinking tools and strategies for transformational change. Health Policy Plan. 2012;27 Suppl 4:iv54-iv61. doi:10.1093/heapol/czs090
Meadows DH, Wright D. Thinking in Systems: A Primer. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Pub; 2008.
Boswell J. The real War on Obesity: Contesting Knowledge and Meaning in a Public Health Crisis. London: Palgrave Macmillan; 2016.
Martin CM, Sturmberg JP. Perturbing ongoing conversations about systems and complexity in health services and systems. J Eval Clin Pract. 2009;15(3):549-552. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2753.2009.01164.x
Sturmberg JP. The illusion of certainty--a deluded perception? J Eval Clin Pract. 2011;17(3):507-510. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2753.2011.01667.x
Knai C, Petticrew M, Mays N, et al. Systems thinking as a framework for analyzing commercial determinants of health. Milbank Q. 2018;96(3):472-498. doi:10.1111/1468-0009.12339
England PH. Whole systems approach to obesity. A guide to support local approaches to promoting a healthy weight. London: PHE; 2019.
Caffrey L, Wolfe C, McKevitt C. Embedding research in health systems: lessons from complexity theory. Health Res Policy Syst. 2016;14(1):54. doi:10.1186/s12961-016-0128-x
Kriznik NM, Kinmonth AL, Ling T, et al. Moving beyond individual choice in policies to reduce health inequalities: the integration of dynamic with individual explanations. J Public Health (Oxf). 2018;40(4):764-775. doi:10.1093/pubmed/fdy045
Boswell, J., Baird, J., & Taheem, R. (2021). The Challenges of Putting Systems Thinking into Practice; Comment on “What Can Policy-Makers Get Out of Systems Thinking? Policy Partners’ Experiences of a Systems-Focused Research Collaboration in Preventive Health”. International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 10(5), 290-292. doi: 10.34172/ijhpm.2020.92
MLA
John Boswell; Janis Baird; Ravita Taheem. "The Challenges of Putting Systems Thinking into Practice; Comment on “What Can Policy-Makers Get Out of Systems Thinking? Policy Partners’ Experiences of a Systems-Focused Research Collaboration in Preventive Health”", International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 10, 5, 2021, 290-292. doi: 10.34172/ijhpm.2020.92
HARVARD
Boswell, J., Baird, J., Taheem, R. (2021). 'The Challenges of Putting Systems Thinking into Practice; Comment on “What Can Policy-Makers Get Out of Systems Thinking? Policy Partners’ Experiences of a Systems-Focused Research Collaboration in Preventive Health”', International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 10(5), pp. 290-292. doi: 10.34172/ijhpm.2020.92
VANCOUVER
Boswell, J., Baird, J., Taheem, R. The Challenges of Putting Systems Thinking into Practice; Comment on “What Can Policy-Makers Get Out of Systems Thinking? Policy Partners’ Experiences of a Systems-Focused Research Collaboration in Preventive Health”. International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 2021; 10(5): 290-292. doi: 10.34172/ijhpm.2020.92
)
