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Systems
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Systems Science Addressing Health Disparities: Thinking, Modelling & Practice
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Systems Science Addressing Health Disparities: Thinking, Modelling & Practice

A special issue of Systems (ISSN 2079-8954). This special issue belongs to the section "Systems Practice in Social Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 March 2024) | Viewed by 4739

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ivana Stankov

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
2. UniSA Allied Health & Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
Interests: complexity science; public health; urban environment; group model building; agent-based modeling; system dynamics; cross-impact balance analysis; social network analysis
Dr. Pamela A. Matson

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
Interests: complexity science; group model building; agent-based modeling; longitudinal data analysis; adolescent health; substance use; sexually transmitted diseases

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

The issue of health disparities has long been recognized as a major issue. Efforts to understand the underlying individual, social, historical and environmental causes of health disparities have increasingly motivated public health research and policy. However, the success of such efforts has been limited by the complexity of the system of interrelated factors that give rise to and perpetuate health disparities. Critical to understanding these complexities is an engagement with diverse stakeholders with lived experience and a deep understanding of the complex dynamics that can undermine policy action. As such, there have been growing calls to apply systems thinking, modeling and practice to better understand and more effectively intervene to reduce health disparities.

This Special Issue seeks to address these gaps by encouraging the submission of papers applying systems science methods (e.g., causal loop diagramming, systems mapping, scenario analysis, systems dynamics and agent-based modelling, micro-simulation, network analysis) that focus on: 

  1. Understanding of the systems that give rise to and perpetuate disparities in health-related behavior and/ or outcomes; and  
  2. Efforts seeking to identify, implement or evaluate policies or interventions to eliminate disparities in health-related behavior and/or outcomes.  

Contributors are invited to present papers (including methods papers) exploring or directly relevant to a range of disparities, including disparities across race, income, age, geography, language, gender, disability status, citizenship status, and sexual identity/orientation. Some examples of relevant topics include: 

  • Health-related behaviors; 
  • Urban health; 
  • Mental health; 
  • Substance use;
  • Infectious disease; 
  • Non-communicable disease; 
  • Health services;  
  • Healthy aging; 
  • Health policy;  
  • Cancer;
  • Methodological advancements in systems thinking relevant to health disparities. 

Pre-submission inquiries to the guest editors are welcome. 

Dr. Ivana Stankov
Dr. Pamela A. Matson
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Systems is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 6422 KiB  
Article
Potential Spatial Accessibility to Cardiovascular Hospitals in Romania
by Alexandra Cioclu, Liliana Dumitrache, Mariana Nae and Alina Mareci
Systems 2024, 12(5), 160; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems12050160 - 2 May 2024
Viewed by 622
Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) represent the leading cause of death globally. Romania recorded the highest mortality rate due to CVDs in the EU in 2022, with 162,984 deaths, while the number of registered patients with CVDs surpassed 4 million. This study aims to measure [...] Read more.
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) represent the leading cause of death globally. Romania recorded the highest mortality rate due to CVDs in the EU in 2022, with 162,984 deaths, while the number of registered patients with CVDs surpassed 4 million. This study aims to measure the population’s potential spatial accessibility to cardiovascular hospitals in Romania, as timely access to such healthcare facilities is crucial to minimise avoidable mortality due to CVDs. Although distance is an essential parameter of spatial accessibility, time-based analysis is more reflective of real-world scenarios due to the unpredictability of travel. The potential spatial accessibility was measured using the Application Program Interface (API) offered through the Google Maps platform and a personal car as the transportation mode. The country’s cardiovascular hospital network comprises 161 units, of which 84 can provide complex care. Because all of them are located in urban areas, three different time slots were considered to distinguish between high and low traffic congestion situations. We created hierarchies of ten-minute and five km intervals for travel time and distance, respectively, to emphasize the population percentages with better or low potential spatial accessibility. Results showed that only 15% of the population can reach the nearest cardiovascular hospital in less than 20 min, and 23% must travel for over 60 min, while 45.7% live farther than 20 km from a cardiovascular hospital. Inhabitants living in remote areas, especially rural ones, are the most vulnerable, having to travel for the longest time and distance. Actions like improving the existing transport infrastructure and upgrading healthcare facilities and equipment are needed to ensure better medical care and an adequate response to population needs. This study can support local authorities in optimising spatial accessibility to cardiovascular care by identifying the most burdened hospitals in the context of low medical specialised staff and large catchment areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Systems Science Addressing Health Disparities: Thinking, Modelling & Practice)
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35 pages, 6295 KiB  
Article
Addressing Complexity in Chronic Disease Prevention Research
by Melanie Pescud, Lucie Rychetnik, Sharon Friel, Michelle J. Irving, Therese Riley, Diane T. Finegood, Harry Rutter, Ray Ison and Steven Allender
Systems 2023, 11(7), 332; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems11070332 - 27 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1897
Abstract
There is wide agreement on the need for systems thinking to address complexity in chronic disease prevention but there is insufficient understanding of how such approaches are operationalised in prevention research. Ison and Straw propose that to address complexity, the right balance must [...] Read more.
There is wide agreement on the need for systems thinking to address complexity in chronic disease prevention but there is insufficient understanding of how such approaches are operationalised in prevention research. Ison and Straw propose that to address complexity, the right balance must be struck between ‘systemic’ and ‘systematic’ paradigms. We examined the nature and characteristics of this relationship in a series of six qualitative case studies of prevention research. Data comprised 29 semi-structured interviews with 16 participants, and online documents. The analysis combined inductive methods from grounded theory with a theoretically informed framework analysis. Systemic and systematic ways of working varied across each case as a whole, and within the dimensions of each case. Further, the interplay of systemic and systematic approaches was described along a dynamic continuum of variable proportions, with greater emphasis on systemic aspects balanced by less focus on the systematic, and vice versa. By expanding the boundaries for exploring prevention research, we gained empirical understanding of the potential and scope of systemic and systematic paradigms for addressing complexity in prevention research. There is inherent value in being more explicitly conscious and bilingual in both systemic and systematic paradigms so that their respective value and strengths may be utilised. Our findings propose a coherent theoretical frame to better understand existing approaches for addressing complexity in prevention research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Systems Science Addressing Health Disparities: Thinking, Modelling & Practice)
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26 pages, 1346 KiB  
Article
Investigation and Modeling of the Variables of the Decision to Vaccinate as the Foundation of an Algorithm for Reducing Vaccination Reluctance
by Daniela Cîrnaţu, Silviu Gabriel Szentesi, Lavinia Denisia Cuc, Elena Ciurariu, Liliana Renate Bran, Graziella-Corina Bâtcă-Dumitru, Cosmin Silviu Raul Joldes, Mioara Florina Pantea and Simona Pârvu
Systems 2023, 11(5), 220; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems11050220 - 26 Apr 2023
Viewed by 1425
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that influence vaccination options, including vaccination against COVID-19, in order to develop a management algorithm for decision-makers to reduce vaccination reluctance. This paper’s primary objective is to empirically determine the relationships between different [...] Read more.
The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that influence vaccination options, including vaccination against COVID-19, in order to develop a management algorithm for decision-makers to reduce vaccination reluctance. This paper’s primary objective is to empirically determine the relationships between different variables that correlate to non-vaccination behavior of the target population, as well as the implications for public health and situational management strategies for future vaccination intentions. We created a questionnaire to investigate the personal approach to disease prevention measures in general and vaccination in particular. Using SmartPLS, load factors for developing an algorithm to manage vaccination reluctance were calculated. The results shows that the vaccination status of an individual is determined by their vaccine knowledge. The evaluation of the vaccine itself influences the choice not to vaccinate. There is a connection between external factors influencing the decision not to vaccinate and the clients’ motives. This plays a substantial part in the decision of individuals not to protect themselves by vaccination. External variables on the decision not to vaccinate correlate with agreement/disagreement on COVID-19 immunization, but there is no correlation between online activity and outside influences on vaccination refusal or on vaccine opinion in general. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Systems Science Addressing Health Disparities: Thinking, Modelling & Practice)
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