Systems Thinking for Capacity in Health
We believe that systems thinking and complexity science can be transformational in global health by increasing local capacity and shared learning, and minimizing unintended consequences.
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Suggested Reading
We recommend skimming over the abstracts and figures in these resources, then come back are read those that seem to be more useful in more detail. Also, we can send a longer reading list to interested parties; email us if interested.
- Systems Thinking and Health Systems Strengthening: A Novel Opportunity for Synergy: A 107-page book published by the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research that provides a great overview of systems thinking and its potential in global health.
- Systems Thinking for Health Systems Strengthening in LMICs: Seizing the Opportunity: A supplement published in October 2012 by Health Policy and Planning that provides in-depth case studies and conceptual considerations of systems thinking and health.
- Capacity development: between planned interventions and emergent processes Implications for development cooperation: A short (5 pages) introduction to complexity and implications for capacity enhancement. The more lengthy consideration (over 150 pages) can be found here.
- Understanding pathways for scaling up health services through the lens of complex adaptive systems: describes complex, adaptive systems phenomena such as path dependence, emergent behavior, scale-free networks, feedback loops and phase transitions. (7 pages)
- Capacities for Institutional Innovation: A Complexity Perspective: “[outlines] an understanding of capacity development as a process of strengthening relationships that enable innovation and resilience in communities, organizations and societies.” (11 pages)
- Redesigning Health Care with Insights from the Science of Complex Adaptive Systems: “[lays] a theoretical framework for approaching the design of complex systems and discusses the practical implications” with regards to health care. (50 pages)
- From silos to systems: Dealing with population health challenges in the world today: siloed approaches ignore systems level effects. Systems thinking is needed to improve population health.
Complexity and Systems Sciences journal series
- BMJ Series on Complexity and Healthcare: explores the complexity of today’s healthcare systems and innovative strategies in health education, leadership, and policy.
- Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice’s Forum on Systems and Complexity in Medicine and Healthcare is an impressive collection of over 50 articles spanning 4 years that explore the intersection of complexity and health from a number of varied perspectives ranging from healthcare reform to health promotion
- American Journal of Public Health Series on Systems Thinking in Public Health: This series explores the successes, challenges, and potential of systems thinking applications in public health.
- Health Education and Behavior series titled ‘Systems Science Application in Health Promotion and Public Health’: This series discusses the application of systems sciences to current public health and health promotion issues.
- Social Science & Medicine series titled ‘Complexity in Health and Health Care Systems’: This series explores the complexity of health and current health care systems. The series begins with article 24 and continues through article 32.
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Health Research Policy and Systems series titled ‘Advancing the application of systems thinking in health’: This series concentrates on actual applications and experiences of systems thinking in health.
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Health Policy and Planning series titled ‘Systems thinking for health systems strengthening in LMICs’: seizing the opportunity’: This series addresses the untapped potential of systems thinking in low- and middle-income countries.
- American Journal of Public Health series entitled ‘Using Systems Science in Obesity Research’: A collection of articles applying systems thinking to various aspects of obesity research. (Scroll down to heading USING SYSTEMS SCIENCE IN OBESITY RESEARCH)
- BMC Public Health supplement entitled ‘Navigating complexity in public health research’: The supplement presents research on complex adaptive systems, focusing on research in women’s health in culturally diverse, contemporary Australian society.
Audio/Video
Johns Hopkins emeritus professor Henry Mosley’s Lectures on:
- Leadership and Learning Organizations
- Mental Models
- The Health Production System
- Shared Vision
A short video from the Alliance for Health Policy & Systems Research
Systems Thinking for Health Systems Strengthening Video
Complexity Podcast
Future Health Systems: Complexity, Complexity, Complexity
Video from The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre, presentation by Professor Terry Huang
Connecting the dots: Translating systems thinking into public health innovations
Powerpoints
- Systems Thinking for Health Systems Strengthening by Taghreed Adam
- Health Systems Research: a global opportunity and imperative by Tim Evans
- Systems Thinking by Fatemeh Rajabi
- Systems Thinking to Advance Population Health by Alan Shiell
For more readings or to get involved, email us at CAS4Capacity@gmail.com
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