scholarly journals Practices of Engagement in Innovation Platforms: Sustainably Overcoming Complex Societal Challenge Landscapes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederick Robert Peter Edlmann ◽  
Sara Grobbelaar
Keyword(s):  
Social Determinants Of Health ◽  
Social Determinants ◽  
Stakeholder Engagement ◽  
Healthcare Delivery ◽  
Determinants Of Health ◽  
Healthcare Sector ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Public Healthcare ◽  
Theory Approach

Background: South Africa’s public healthcare sector is overburdened, especially its under-resourced primary healthcare delivery system. This burden could be relieved by alleviating the population’s ill-health, focusing on the social determinants of health. These include living conditions and levels of social cohesion. In an attempt to address the aforementioned ‘challenge landscape’, this article considers socio-economic empowerment of those marginalised members of society living at the base of the pyramid (BOP) to improve factors contributing to poor health. We propose that Innovation Platforms (IPs) offer opportunities to achieve this by drawing diverse stakeholders together, which should include marginalised individuals, to pool resources and knowledge and collaborate around a specific set of challenges. Method: A Grounded Theory approach is utilised to develop the framework comprising concept definition from a systemized literature review. It is evaluated through various progressive stages through three phases of evaluation: 1) the initial framework was subjected to scrutiny in a theoretical case study, 2) a first-pass semi-structured interview and later four more semi-structured interviews with subject matter experts, and 3) an instrumental case study to refine the framework and to understand its application in a particular situation (this included four stakeholder interviews and a workshop and feedback session with the project champion). Results: This article contributes to the extant literature by addressing the lack of guidance on stakeholder engagement practices critical to the proper functioning of IPs in the context of overcoming the complex challenges associated with social determinants of health. The final output of the study is a refined management tool for stakeholder engagement in IPs. The tool provides practical recommendations to support policy makers, researchers and practitioners in 1) establishing IPs, 2) identifying areas for improvement and 3) identifying reasons for an IP’s failure and lessons to learn.

scholarly journals Exploring the local policy context for reducing health inequalities in children and young people: an in depth qualitative case study of one local authority in the North of England, UK

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleanor Holding ◽  
Hannah Fairbrother ◽  
Naomi Griffin ◽  
Jonathan Wistow ◽  
Katie Powell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Child Health ◽  
Social Determinants Of Health ◽  
Health Inequalities ◽  
Social Determinants ◽  
Qualitative Case Study ◽  
Determinants Of Health ◽  
Local Policy ◽  
Inequalities In Health ◽  
The North

Abstract Background Improving children and young people’s (CYP) health and addressing health inequalities are international priorities. Reducing inequalities is particularly pertinent in light of the Covid-19 outbreak which has exacerbated already widening inequalities in health. This study aimed to explore understandings of inequality, the anticipated pathways for reducing inequalities among CYP and key factors affecting the development and implementation of policy to reduce inequalities among CYP at a local level. Methods We carried out a qualitative case study of one local government region in the North of England (UK), comprising semi structured interviews (n = 16) with service providers with a responsibility for child health, non-participant observations of key meetings (n = 6 with 43 participants) where decisions around child health are made, and a local policy documentation review (n = 11). We employed a novel theoretical framework, drawing together different approaches to understanding policy, to guide our design and analysis. Results Participants in our study understood inequalities in CYP health almost exclusively as socioeconomically patterned inequalities in health practices and outcomes. Strategies which participants perceived to reduce inequalities included: preventive support and early intervention, an early years/whole family focus, targeted working in local areas of high deprivation, organisational integration and whole system/place-based approaches. Despite demonstrating a commitment to a social determinants of health approach, efforts to reduce inequalities were described as thwarted by the prevalence of poverty and budget cuts which hindered the ability of local organisations to work together. Participants critiqued national policy which aimed to reduce inequalities in CYP health for failing to recognise local economic disparities and the interrelated nature of the determinants of health. Conclusions Despite increased calls for a ‘whole systems’ approach to reducing inequalities in health, significant barriers to implementation remain. National governments need to work towards more joined up policy making, which takes into consideration regional disparities, allows for flexibility in interpretation and addresses the different and interrelated social determinants of health. Our findings have particular significance in light of Covid-19 and indicate the need for systems level policy responses and a health in all policies approach.

scholarly journals Integrating Social Determinants of Health to Precision Medicine through Digital Transformation: An Exploratory Roadmap

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 5018
Author(s):  
Ik-Whan G. Kwon ◽  
Sung-Ho Kim ◽  
David Martin
Keyword(s):  
Precision Medicine ◽  
Social Determinants Of Health ◽  
Population Health ◽  
Social Determinants ◽  
Information Technologies ◽  
Healthcare Delivery ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Determinants Of Health ◽  
Collaborative Tools ◽  
High Level

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered healthcare delivery platforms from traditional face-to-face formats to online care through digital tools. The healthcare industry saw a rapid adoption of digital collaborative tools to provide care to patients, regardless of where patients or clinicians were located, while mitigating the risk of exposure to the coronavirus. Information technologies now allow healthcare providers to continue a high level of care for their patients through virtual visits, and to collaborate with other providers in the networks. Population health can be improved by social determinants of health and precision medicine working together. However, these two health-enhancing constructs work independently, resulting in suboptimal health results. This paper argues that artificial intelligence can provide clinical–community linkage that enhances overall population health. An exploratory roadmap is proposed.

Remote Pedagogy: Teaching Social Determinants of Health Using Case Study Simulation

2020 ◽  
Vol 101 (12) ◽  
pp. e150-e151
Author(s):  
Denise Ludwig ◽  
Sri Nandamudi ◽  
Janna Pacey ◽  
Kelly Machnik ◽  
Aziizur Molla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Determinants Of Health ◽  
Social Determinants ◽  
Determinants Of Health

Case Study

2011 ◽  
pp. 217-236
Author(s):  
Gail Heaberg
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Determinants Of Health ◽  
Social Determinants ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Development Process ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Determinants Of Health ◽  
Health Innovation

Research Matchmaker is a public health innovation that will lead to community centered research focused on social determinants of health. Research Matchmaker has been developed to bring communities, practitioners and researchers together to focus on community determined health needs. The rationale and development process is discussed.

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