The need for a complex systems approach in rural health research
Article
Article Title | The need for a complex systems approach in rural health research |
---|---|
ERA Journal ID | 200230 |
Article Category | Article |
Authors | Hulme, Adam, Thompson, Jason, Brown, Andrew and Argus, Geoff |
Journal Title | BMJ Open |
Journal Citation | 12 (10) |
Article Number | e064646 |
Number of Pages | 11 |
Year | 2022 |
Publisher | BMJ |
Place of Publication | United Kingdom |
ISSN | 2044-6055 |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-064646 |
Web Address (URL) | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/10/e064646 |
Abstract | On a global scale, many major rural health issues have persisted for decades despite the introduction of new health interventions and public health policies. Although research efforts have generated valuable new knowledge about the aetiology of health, disease and health inequities in rural communities, rural health systems remain to be some of the most deprived and challenged in both the developing and developed world. While the reasons for this are many, a significant factor contributing to the current state of play is the pressing need for methodological innovation and relevant scientific approaches that have the capacity to support the translation of novel solutions into ‘real world’ rural contexts. Fortunately, complex systems approaches, which have seen an increase in popularity in the wider public health literature, could provide answers to some of the most resilient rural health problems in recent times. The purpose of this article is to promote the value and utility of a complex systems approach in rural health research. We explain the benefits of a complex systems approach and provide a background to the complexity sciences, including the main characteristics of complex systems. Two popular computational methods are described. The next step for rural health research involves exploring how a complex systems approach can help with the identification and evaluation of new and existing solutions to policy-resistant rural health issues. This includes generating awareness around the analytical trade-offs that occur between the use of traditional scientific methods and complex systems approaches. |
Keywords | rural health; rural community |
Byline Affiliations | University of Queensland |
University of Melbourne | |
University of the Sunshine Coast | |
Deakin University | |
School of Psychology and Wellbeing |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/z0216/the-need-for-a-complex-systems-approach-in-rural-health-research
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