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A Systems Thinking Approach for Community Health and Wellbeing

Author

Listed:
  • Michelle J. Morgan

    (University of Tasmania
    Tasmanian Government, Department of Health, Public Health Services)

  • Elaine Stratford

    (University of Tasmania)

  • Siobhan Harpur

    (University of Tasmania, Menzies Institute for Medical Research)

  • Samantha Rowbotham

    (University of Tasmania
    University of Sydney)

Abstract

Under national or state-based legislation, local governments are commonly required to prepare municipal health and wellbeing plans. Yet, the issues these plans aim to address are often complex, and programmatic planning approaches traditionally used by practitioners struggle to engage with such complexity as they assume these issues can be ‘solved’ in isolation. Systems thinking is increasingly being used as an approach to deal with those struggles more effectively, yet little is known about whether local governments and other stakeholders think systems approaches are feasible and acceptable in practice. This study tested a systems thinking approach to gauge if it could better address complex place-based health and wellbeing issues, such as to reduce noncommunicable diseases. Guided by a systems change framework, the approach comprised a facilitated systemic inquiry and rich picture process involving diverse stakeholders in a remote municipality in the Australian state of Tasmania. Among the participants there was broad support for the systems approach tested and they thought it was effective for increasing systems thinking capacity, collaboratively revealing systemic issues, and identifying opportunities to address those issues. They valued the rich picture because it created shared understandings of local issues. The findings suggest more is needed from macro-level policy to support place-based stakeholders to undertake systems approaches in practice, which could result in more sustainable and effective systems change required to improve health and wellbeing outcomes. The findings have implications for theory, research, and practice across interdisciplinary fields concerned with placed-based systems change, especially in rural and remote municipalities.

Suggested Citation

  • Michelle J. Morgan & Elaine Stratford & Siobhan Harpur & Samantha Rowbotham, 2024. "A Systems Thinking Approach for Community Health and Wellbeing," Systemic Practice and Action Research, Springer, vol. 37(2), pages 161-183, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:syspar:v:37:y:2024:i:2:d:10.1007_s11213-023-09644-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s11213-023-09644-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Melanie T. Davern & Lucy Gunn & Billie Giles-Corti & Stephanie David, 2017. "Best Practice Principles for Community Indicator Systems and a Case Study Analysis: How Community Indicators Victoria is Creating Impact and Bridging Policy, Practice and Research," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 131(2), pages 567-586, March.
    2. Vladislav Valentinov & Stefan Hielscher & Ingo Pies, 2016. "Emergence: A Systems Theory’s Challenge to Ethics," Systemic Practice and Action Research, Springer, vol. 29(6), pages 597-610, December.
    3. Brian D. Christens & Paula Tran Inzeo, 2015. "Widening the view: situating collective impact among frameworks for community-led change," Community Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(4), pages 420-435, October.
    4. Danny Burns, 2012. "Participatory Systemic Inquiry," IDS Bulletin, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 43(3), pages 88-100, May.
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