Intersectoral Partnerships Between Local Governments and Health Organisations in High-Income Contexts: A Scoping Review

Document Type : Review Article

Authors

1 Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia

2 School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia

3 School of Social Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia

4 Ingham Institute, Liverpool, NSW, Australia

5 Centre for Health Equity Training, Research and Evaluation, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia

6 South Western Sydney Local Health District, Ingham Institute, Liverpool, NSW, Australia

7 Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool, NSW, Australia

8 Healthy Places, Population Health, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool, NSW, Australia

Abstract

Background 
Local governments are the closest level of government to the communities they serve. Traditionally providing roads, rates and garbage services, they are also responsible for policy and regulation, particularly land use planning and community facilities and services that have direct and indirect impacts on (equitable) health and wellbeing. Partnerships between health agencies and local government are therefore an attractive proposition to progress actions that positively impact community health and well-being. Yet, the factors underpinning these partnerships across different contexts are underdeveloped, as mechanisms to improve population health and well-being.
 
Methods 
A scoping review was conducted to gain insight into the concepts, theories, sources, and knowledge gaps that shape partnerships between health and local governments. The search strategy followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines and was informed by a critical realist approach that identifies necessary, contingent and contextual factors in the literature. MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and ProQuest Central databases were searched for studies published between January 2005 and July 2021.
 
Results 
The search yielded 3472 studies, after deleting duplicates and initial title and abstract screening, 188 papers underwent full text review. Twenty-nine papers were included in the review. Key themes shaping partnerships included funding and resources; partnership qualities; governance and policy; and evaluation and measures of success. The functional, organisational and individual aspects of these themes are explored and presented in a framework.
 
Conclusion 
Given that local government are the closest level of government to community, this paper provides a sophisticated roadmap that can underpin partnerships between local government and health agencies aiming to influence population health outcomes. By identifying key themes across contexts, we provide a framework that may assist in designing and evaluating evidence-informed health and local government partnerships.

Keywords

References

  1. Lawless A, Lane A, Lewis FA, Baum F, Harris P. Social determinants of health and local government: understanding and uptake of ideas in two Australian states. Aust N Z J Public Health. 2017;41(2):204-209. doi:1111/1753-6405.12584
  2. Harris E, Wills J. Developing healthy local communities at local government level: lessons from the past decade. Aust N Z J Public Health. 1997;21(4 Spec No):403-412. doi:1111/j.1467-842x.1997.tb01722.x
  3. Pierre J. Models of urban governance: the institutional dimension of urban politics. Urban Aff Rev Thousand Oaks Calif. 1999;34(3):372-396. doi:1177/10780879922183988
  4. Peters BG, Pierre J. Urban governance. In: John P, Mossberger K, Clarke SE. The Oxford Handbook of Urban Politics. Oxford University Press; 2012.
  5. Healey P, Cars G, Madanipour A, De Magalhaes C. Transforming governance, institutionalist analysis and institutional capacity. In: Urban Governance, Institutional Capacity and Social Milieux. Routledge; 2017:6-28.
  6. Lowndes V, Leach S. Understanding local political leadership: constitutions, contexts and capabilities. Local Gov Stud. 2004;30(4):557-575. doi:1080/0300393042000333863
  7. de Leeuw E, Polman L. Health policy making: the Dutch experience. Soc Sci Med. 1995;40(3):331-338. doi:1016/0277-9536(94)e0094-9
  8. Guglielmin M, Muntaner C, O'Campo P, Shankardass K. A scoping review of the implementation of health in all policies at the local level. Health Policy. 2018;122(3):284-292. doi:1016/j.healthpol.2017.12.005
  9. Van Vliet-Brown CE, Shahram S, Oelke ND. Health in all policies utilization by municipal governments: scoping review. Health Promot Int. 2018;33(4):713-722. doi:1093/heapro/dax008
  10. Schultz S, Zorbas C, Peeters A, Yoong S, Backholer K. Strengthening local government policies to address health inequities: perspectives from Australian local government stakeholders. Int J Equity Health. 2023;22(1):119. doi:1186/s12939-023-01925-3
  11. Browne GR, Davern M, Giles-Corti B. 'Punching above their weight': a qualitative examination of local governments' organisational efficacy to improve the social determinants of health. Aust N Z J Public Health. 2019;43(1):81-87. doi:1111/1753-6405.12847
  12. Browne GR, Davern MT, Giles-Corti B. An analysis of local government health policy against state priorities and a social determinants framework. Aust N Z J Public Health. 2016;40(2):126-131. doi:1111/1753-6405.12463
  13. Holt DH, Frohlich KL, Tjørnhøj-Thomsen T, Clavier C. Intersectoriality in Danish municipalities: corrupting the social determinants of health? Health Promot Int. 2017;32(5):881-890. doi:1093/heapro/daw020
  14. Hagen S, Torp S, Helgesen M, Fosse E. Promoting health by addressing living conditions in Norwegian municipalities. Health Promot Int. 2017;32(6):977-987. doi:1093/heapro/daw052
  15. Fosse E, Helgesen MK, Hagen S, Torp S. Addressing the social determinants of health at the local level: opportunities and challenges. Scand J Public Health. 2018;46(20 Suppl):47-52. doi:1177/1403494817743896
  16. Hunter D, Perkins N. Partnership working in public health: the implications for governance of a systems approach. J Health Serv Res Policy. 2012;17 Suppl 2:45-52. doi:1258/jhsrp.2012.011127
  17. Bhaskar R. A Realist Theory of Science. Routledge; 2013.
  18. Tricco AC, Lillie E, Zarin W, et al. PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR): checklist and explanation. Ann Intern Med. 2018;169(7):467-473. doi:7326/m18-0850
  19. United Nations. World Economic Situation and Prospects 2014. United Nations Publications; 2014.
  20. Garritty C, Gartlehner G, Nussbaumer-Streit B, et al. Cochrane Rapid Reviews Methods Group offers evidence-informed guidance to conduct rapid reviews. J Clin Epidemiol. 2021;130:13-22. doi:1016/j.jclinepi.2020.10.007
  21. Glaser BG, Strauss AL. The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research. Routledge; 2009.
  22. Harris P. Illuminating Policy for Health: Insights from a Decade of Researching Urban and Regional Planning. Springer; 2022.
  23. Amed S, Naylor PJ, Pinkney S, et al. Creating a collective impact on childhood obesity: lessons from the SCOPE initiative. Can J Public Health. 2015;106(6):e426-433. doi:17269/cjph.106.5114
  24. Asada Y, Gilmet K, Welter C, Massuda-Barnett G, Kapadia DA, Fagen M. Applying theory of change to a structural change initiative: evaluation of model communities in a diverse county. Health Educ Behav. 2019;46(3):377-387. doi:1177/1090198118818233
  25. Bachmann MO, O'Brien M, Husbands C, et al. Integrating children's services in England: national evaluation of children's trusts. Child Care Health Dev. 2009;35(2):257-265. doi:1111/j.1365-2214.2008.00928.x
  26. Chen LW, Roberts S, Xu L, Jacobson J, Palm D. Effectiveness and challenges of regional public health partnerships in Nebraska. J Public Health Manag Pract. 2012;18(2):148-155. doi:1097/PHH.0b013e318239918f
  27. Christensen JH, Bloch P, Møller SR, et al. Health in all local policies: lessons learned on intersectoral collaboration in a community-based health promotion network in Denmark. Int J Health Plann Manage. 2019;34(1):216-231. doi:1002/hpm.2620
  28. Dennis S, Hetherington SA, Borodzicz JA, Hermiz O, Zwar NA. Challenges to establishing successful partnerships in community health promotion programs: local experiences from the national implementation of healthy eating activity and lifestyle (HEAL™) program. Health Promot J Austr. 2015;26(1):45-51. doi:1071/he14035
  29. Erens B, Wistow G, Mays N, et al. Can health and social care integration make long-term progress? Findings from key informant surveys of the integration Pioneers in England. J Integr Care. 2020;28(1):14-26. doi:1108/jica-05-2019-0020
  30. Grêaux KM, de Vries NK, Bessems K, Harting J, van Assema P. Does partnership diversity in intersectoral policymaking matter for health promoting intervention packages' composition? A multiple-case study in the Netherlands. Health Promot Int. 2021;36(3):616-629. doi:1093/heapro/daaa083
  31. Hagen S, Helgesen M, Torp S, Fosse E. Health in all policies: a cross-sectional study of the public health coordinators' role in Norwegian municipalities. Scand J Public Health. 2015;43(6):597-605. doi:1177/1403494815585614
  32. Jabot F, Tremblay E, Rivadeneyra A, Diallo TA, Lapointe G. A comparative analysis of health impact assessment implementation models in the regions of Montérégie (Québec, Canada) and Nouvelle-Aquitaine (France). Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(18):6558. doi:3390/ijerph17186558
  33. Jones C, Hartfiel N, Brocklehurst P, Lynch M, Edwards RT. Social return on investment analysis of the health precinct community hub for chronic conditions. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(14):5249. doi:3390/ijerph17145249
  34. Kingsnorth R. Partnerships for health and wellbeing. J Integr Care. 2013;21(2):64-76. doi:1108/14769011311316006
  35. Kirchhoff R, Ljunggren B. Aspects of equality in mandatory partnerships - from the perspective of municipal care in Norway. Int J Integr Care. 2016;16(2):6. doi:5334/ijic.2025
  36. Kisely S, Campbell LA, Peddle S, et al. A controlled before-and-after evaluation of a mobile crisis partnership between mental health and police services in Nova Scotia. Can J Psychiatry. 2010;55(10):662-668. doi:1177/070674371005501005
  37. Kjelle E, Lysdahl KB, Olerud HM, Myklebust AM. Managers' experience of success criteria and barriers to implementing mobile radiography services in nursing homes in Norway: a qualitative study. BMC Health Serv Res. 2018;18(1):301. doi:1186/s12913-018-3115-9
  38. Leurs MT, Mur-Veeman IM, van der Sar R, Schaalma HP, de Vries NK. Diagnosis of sustainable collaboration in health promotion - a case study. BMC Public Health. 2008;8:382. doi:1186/1471-2458-8-382
  39. MacLeod MLP, Hanlon N, Reay T, Snadden D, Ulrich C. Partnering for change. J Health Organ Manag. 2019;34(3):255-272. doi:1108/jhom-02-2019-0032
  40. Mantoura P, Gendron S, Potvin L. Participatory research in public health: creating innovative alliances for health. Health Place. 2007;13(2):440-451. doi:1016/j.healthplace.2006.05.002
  41. Miro A, Perrotta K, Evans H, et al. Building the capacity of health authorities to influence land use and transportation planning: lessons learned from the Healthy Canada by Design CLASP Project in British Columbia. Can J Public Health. 2014;106(1 Suppl 1):eS40-eS52. doi:17269/cjph.106.4566
  42. Miro A, Kishchuk NA, Perrotta K, Swinkels HM. Healthy Canada by Design CLASP: lessons learned from the first phase of an intersectoral, cross-provincial, built environment initiative. Can J Public Health. 2014;106(1 Suppl 1):eS50-eS63. doi:17269/cjph.106.4555
  43. Sestoft D, Rasmussen MF, Vitus K, Kongsrud L. The police, social services and psychiatry cooperation in Denmark--a new model of working practice between governmental sectors. A description of the concept, process, practice and experience. Int J Law Psychiatry. 2014;37(4):370-375. doi:1016/j.ijlp.2014.02.007
  44. Storm I, den Hertog F, van Oers H, Schuit AJ. How to improve collaboration between the public health sector and other policy sectors to reduce health inequalities? - A study in sixteen municipalities in the Netherlands. Int J Equity Health. 2016;15:97. doi:1186/s12939-016-0384-y
  45. Tooher R, Collins J, Braunack-Mayer A, et al. Intersectoral collaboration to implement school-based health programmes: Australian perspectives. Health Promot Int. 2017;32(2):312-321. doi:1093/heapro/dav120
  46. Tugwell A, Johnson P. The Coffs Harbour ‘our living city settlement strategy’ health impact assessment. Environ Impact Assess Rev. 2011;31(4):441-444. doi:1016/j.eiar.2010.02.004
  47. Visram S, Hunter DJ, Perkins N, et al. Health and wellbeing boards as theatres of accountability: a dramaturgical analysis. Local Gov Stud. 2021;47(6):931-950. doi:1080/03003930.2020.1816543
  48. Vogel A, Ransom P, Wai S, Luisi D. Integrating health and social services for older adults: a case study of interagency collaboration. J Health Hum Serv Adm. 2007;30(2):199-228.
  49. Warwick-Giles L, Coleman A, Checkland K. Co-owner, service provider, critical friend? The role of public health in clinical commissioning groups. J Public Health (Oxf). 2016;38(4):633-634. doi:1093/pubmed/fdv137
  50. Wistow G, Waddington E. Learning from doing: implications of the Barking and Dagenham experience for integrating health and social care. J Integr Care. 2006;14(3):8-18. doi:1108/14769018200600019
  51. Freitas Â, Rodrigues TC, Santana P. Assessing urban health inequities through a multidimensional and participatory framework: evidence from the EURO-HEALTHY project. J Urban Health. 2020;97(6):857-875. doi:1007/s11524-020-00471-5
  52. Lee CB, Huang NC, Kung SF, Hu SC. Opportunity for HiAP through a Healthy Cities initiative in Taiwan: a multiple streams analysis. Health Promot Int. 2021;36(1):78-88. doi:1093/heapro/daaa037
  53. Corbin JH, Jones J, Barry MM. What makes intersectoral partnerships for health promotion work? A review of the international literature. Health Promot Int. 2018;33(1):4-26. doi:1093/heapro/daw061
  54. de Leeuw E. Intersectorality and health: a glossary. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2022;76(2):206-208. doi:1136/jech-2021-217647
  55. Dowling B, Powell M, Glendinning C. Conceptualising successful partnerships. Health Soc Care Community. 2004;12(4):309-317. doi:1111/j.1365-2524.2004.00500.x
  56. Mitchell SM, Shortell SM. The governance and management of effective community health partnerships: a typology for research, policy, and practice. Milbank Q. 2000;78(2):241-289, 151. doi:1111/1468-0009.00170
  57. Jaques K, Haigh F, Zapart S, et al. Inter-sectoral policy partnerships: a case study of South Western Sydney’s Health and Housing Partnership. Int J Hous Policy. 2023;23(2):381-402. doi:1080/19491247.2022.2147352
  58. Munn Z, Peters MDJ, Stern C, Tufanaru C, McArthur A, Aromataris E. Systematic review or scoping review? Guidance for authors when choosing between a systematic or scoping review approach. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2018;18(1):143. doi:1186/s12874-018-0611-x

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 25 November 2022
  • Revise Date: 03 December 2023
  • Accept Date: 31 January 2024
  • First Publish Date: 03 February 2024

Share

How to cite

Statistics