The application of the complexity theory to public health interventions: a review of the literature

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
P Contu ◽  
E Breton
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Complexity Theory ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Community Based Interventions ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Care Services

Abstract Background There is a growing recognition of the limitations of a linear cause-and-effect rationality in planning and evaluating public health interventions. Although this perspective is amenable to programme planning and evaluation, it leaves aside a whole array of mechanisms of change triggered by interactions taking place in complex social systems. Generative causality is one and recognized under a number of works referring to the complexity paradigm. Here we review the state of knowledge on what is often referred to as the complexity theory (CT), and present the results of a review of the literature on its application in public health. Methods We searched PubMed for articles, commentaries, editorials published in English, French and Italian, using the keywords 'Complexity Theory' (also plural). We categorized the fields of application of the CT according to the three core WHO's Essential Public Health Operations, i.e., Health Promotion, Prevention and Protection. All papers addressing issues related to health care services (but not prevention) were included in the category “health care services” while others were tagged as “others”. Results We found 203 papers meeting our inclusion criteria. The largest share of the research output applying the CT was in health care services (n = 167), followed by Health Promotion (5), Prevention (3) and Protection (2). 26 papers were labelled others. In health promotion/ prevention, applications of the CT have yet to integrate most of its concepts. Most authors tap into both the linear and generative rationality perspectives. Conclusions Although regularly deemed as promising in uncovering mechanisms for change triggered by public health intervention, applications of the complexity theory remain uncommon and has made little inroads in the public health domain. This is particularly the case for health promotion where one would assume that participatory community-based interventions would be an incentive to integrate this perspective. Key messages Although deemed promising the complexity theory has made little inroads in public health. Health promotion with its participatory community-based interventions can benefit from its application.

scholarly journals Investigating principles that underlie frameworks for Pacific health research using a co-design approach: learnings from a Tongan community based project

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 399-406
Author(s):  
Veisinia Pulu ◽  
Iemaima Tiatia-Sheath ◽  
Barry Borman ◽  
Ridvan` Firestone
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Design Approach ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Design And Implementation ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Indigenous Groups ◽  
Pacific Health ◽  
Creation Stories

Co-design is a relatively new method employed in public health-based interventions to identify problems, generate and implement solutions through harnessing knowledge and creativity of citizens and staff . Researchers use different co-design steps in the design and implementation of intervention programmes. The co-design approach has been successfully used in redesigning health care services to fit the needs of the consumers and has extended to develop health interventions for communities . In New Zealand, co-design methods have been used to develop health interventions among minority and indigenous groups. Previous research highlighted that co-design fits well when collaborating with these groups as it allows tool redevelopments and re-fining based on the socio-cultural needs of participants. This method captures and understands the needs of the Tongan community, as well as foster expression, reflection, and sharing to inform the development of the intervention. The generation of discussion in co-design aligns with the indigenous knowledge of systems, creation stories and oral stories which provide a culturally empowering way to generate discussion and insights from Tongan communities.

scholarly journals Pharmaceutical care in Brazil’s primary health care

2017 ◽  
Vol 51 (suppl.2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Sodré Araújo ◽  
Ediná Alves Costa ◽  
Augusto Afonso Guerra Junior ◽  
Francisco de Assis Acurcio ◽  
Ione Aquemi Guibu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Pharmaceutical Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Educational Activities ◽  
Health Team ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Primary Health

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the activities of clinical nature developed by pharmacists in basic health units and their participation in educational activities aiming at health promotion. METHODS: This article is part of the Pesquisa Nacional sobre Acesso, Utilização e Promoção do Uso Racional de Medicamentos – Serviços, 2015 (PNAUM – National Survey on Access, Use and Promotion of Rational Use of Medicines – Services, 2015), a cross-sectional and exploratory study, of evaluative nature, consisting of a survey of information in a representative sample of cities, stratified by the Brazilian regions that constitute domains of study, and a subsample of primary health care services. The interviewed pharmacists (n=285) were responsible for the delivery of medicines and were interviewed in person with the use of a script. The characterization of the activities of clinical nature was based on information from pharmacists who declared to perform them, and on participation in educational activities aiming at health promotion, according to information from all pharmacists. The results are presented in frequency and their 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: From the interviewed subjects, 21.3% said they perform activities of clinical nature. Of these, more than 80% considered them very important; the majority does not dispose of specific places to perform them, which hinders privacy and confidentiality in these activities. The main denominations were “pharmaceutical guidance” and “pharmaceutical care.” The registration of activities is mainly made in the users’ medical records, computerized system, and in a specific document filed at the pharmacy, impairing the circulation of information among professionals. Most pharmacists performed these activities mainly along with physicians and nurses; 24.7% rarely participated in meetings with the health team, and 19.7% have never participated. CONCLUSIONS: Activities of clinical nature performed by pharmacists in Brazil are still incipient. The difficulties found point out to the professionals’ improvisation and effort. The small participation in educational activities of health promotion indicates little integration of pharmacists with the health team and of pharmaceutical services with other health actions

scholarly journals The Association of Residence Permits on Utilization of Health Care Services by Migrant Workers in China

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (18) ◽  
pp. 9623
Author(s):  
Haochuan Xu ◽  
Han Yang ◽  
Hui Wang ◽  
Xuefeng Li
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Access ◽  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Public Health Care ◽  
Chinese Government ◽  
Care Access ◽  
Care Services ◽  
The Impact

Due to the limitations in the verifiability of individual identity, migrant workers have encountered some obstacles in access to public health care services. Residence permits issued by the Chinese government are a solution to address the health care access inequality faced by migrant workers. In principle, migrant workers with residence permits have similar rights as urban locals. However, the validity of residence permits is still controversial. This study aimed to examine the impact of residence permits on public health care services. Data were taken from the China Migrants Dynamic Survey (CMDS). Our results showed that the utilization of health care services of migrant workers with residence permits was significantly better than others. However, although statistically significant, the substantive significance is modest. In addition, megacities had significant negative moderating effects between residence permits and health care services utilization. Our research results emphasized that reforms of the household registration system, taking the residence permit system as a breakthrough, cannot wholly address the health care access inequality in China. For developing countries with uneven regional development, the health care access inequality faced by migrant workers is a structural issue.

scholarly journals Future Perspectives of Health Care: Closing Remarks

2021 ◽  
pp. 375-380
Author(s):  
Gørill Haugan ◽  
Monica Eriksson
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Care Systems ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Professional Leadership ◽  
Salutogenic Model

AbstractThe Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated the vulnerability of our health care systems as well as our societies. During the year of 2020, we have witnessed how whole societies globally have been in a turbulent state of transformation finding strategies to manage the difficulties caused by the pandemic. At first glance, the health promotion perspective might seem far away from handling the serious impacts caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, as health promotion is about enabling people to increase control over their health and its determinants, paradoxically health promotion seems to be ever more important in times of crisis and pandemics. Probably, in the future, pandemics will be a part of the global picture along with the non-communicable diseases. These facts strongly demand the health care services to reorient in a health promoting direction.The IUHPE Global Working Group on Salutogenesis suggests that health promotion competencies along with a reorientation of professional leadership towards salutogenesis, empowerment and participation are required. More specifically, the IUHPE Group recommends that the overall salutogenic model of health and the concept of SOC should be further advanced and applied beyond the health sector, followed by the design of salutogenic interventions and change processes in complex systems.

scholarly journals COMMUNITY-BASED HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME IN A RURAL COMMUNITY OF NORTH WEST NIGERIA: A ROADMAP TO ACHIEVING UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE.

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-130
Author(s):  
Lawal A ◽  
◽  
Gobir AA ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Insurance ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Health Insurance Scheme ◽  
Willingness To Participate ◽  
Insurance Scheme ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Quality Health Care ◽  
Community Based Health Insurance ◽  
Care Services

Background: Community Based Health Insurance (CBHI) scheme is aimed at reducing out of pocket spending on health care services, ensuring final risk protection to all, especially the poor and the most vulnerable, improvement of quality of health care services, access and utilization as well as the promotion of equity. Objective: This research was aimed at determining willingness to participate in a community-based health insurance scheme among rural households in Katsina State. Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in December 2016 among households of Batagarawa LGA, Katsina State. We used a pre-tested, electronic, semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire to obtain data from households that were selected using a multistage sampling technique and we analyzed the data using STATA version 13. Results: Most, (28.5%) of the respondents were in the age range of 30-39 years with a mean age of 35.5 years. Males were the dominant household heads (93%). Most were married (90%). Most, (90.5%) of households were willing to pay for a community-based health insurance scheme with a median premium of 100 Naira per household member per month. Conclusions: The high proportion of households willing to pay for the scheme should inform the decision of policy makers to design and maintain Community Based Health Insurance Scheme to improve access to and utilization of quality health care services.

scholarly journals Prison Health as Public Health in Ontario Corrections

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 19
Author(s):  
Yoko Murphy ◽  
Howard Sapers
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Prison Health ◽  
Independent Review ◽  
Recent Reform ◽  
The Government

The majority of incarcerated individuals in Canada, and especially in Ontario provincial correctional institutions, are released into the community after a short duration in custody. Adult correctional populations have generally poor health, including a heightened prevalence of mental health and substance use disorders. There are legal and ethical obligations to address health care needs of incarcerated individuals, and also public health benefits from ensuring adequate, appropriate, and accessible health services to individuals in custody. The Independent Review of Ontario Corrections recommended the transformation of health care in Ontario provincial corrections in 2017, including transferring health service responsibilities to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. The Correctional Services and Reintegration Act, 2018, would affirm the provincial government’s obligation to provide patient-centred, equitable health care services for individuals in custody. We encourage the Government of Ontario to proclaim the Act and continue the momentum of recent reform efforts in Ontario.

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