- Title
- Understanding the sustainment of population health programmes from a whole-of-system approach
- Creator
- Crane, Melanie; Nathan, Nicole; McKay, Heather; Lee, Karen; Wiggers, John; Bauman, Adrian
- Relation
- Health Research Policy and Systems Vol. 20, Issue 1, no. 37
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12961-022-00843-0
- Publisher
- BioMed Central (BMC)
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2022
- Description
- Background: Population health prevention programmes are needed to reduce the prevalence of chronic diseases. Nevertheless, sustaining programmes at a population level is challenging. Population health is highly influenced by social, economic and political environments and is vulnerable to these system-level changes. The aim of this research was to examine the factors and mechanisms contributing to the sustainment of population prevention programmes taking a systems thinking approach. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study through interviews with population health experts working within Australian government and non-government agencies experienced in sustaining public health programs at the local, state or national level (n = 13). We used a deductive thematic approach, grounded in systems thinking to analyse data. Results: We identified four key barriers affecting program sustainment: 1) short term political and funding cycles; 2) competing interests; 3) silo thinking within health service delivery; and 4) the fit of a program to population needs. To overcome these barriers various approaches have centred on the importance of long-range planning and resourcing, flexible program design and management, leadership and partnerships, evidence generation, and system support structures. Conclusion: This study provides key insights for overcoming challenges to the sustainment of population health programmes amidst complex system-wide changes.
- Subject
- health promotion; implementation; sustainability; population health; systems thinking; intervention; SDG 3; Sustainable Development Goals
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1482779
- Identifier
- uon:51024
- Identifier
- ISSN:1478-4505
- Rights
- x
- Language
- eng
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