Analysis, Evaluation and Optimization for Public Health Using Systems Thinking
A special issue of Systems (ISSN 2079-8954). This special issue belongs to the section "Systems Practice in Social Science".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 9
Special Issue Editor
Interests: systems thinking; system dynamics; health systems modelling; systems mapping; group model building; soft and critical systems; complex adaptive systems; public health; health policy; complexity theory
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Public health challenges are inherently complex, multifaceted, and interconnected, frequently manifesting as "wicked problems" that resist straightforward solutions. Traditional reductionist approaches, which focus on isolated components or events, prove insufficient for addressing these intricate issues because they fail to capture the dynamic complexity inherent in public health systems. Such complexity requires navigating an intricate web of social, economic, and environmental factors that profoundly influence population health outcomes and system performance.
Systems thinking offers a powerful approach that transcends conventional linear causality. Rather than examining individual parts or isolated occurrences, it emphasizes understanding the relationships between components, diverse stakeholder perspectives, system boundaries, and emergent properties that arise from the whole system. This holistic approach recognizes the interdependencies and feedback loops that characterize complex adaptive systems in public health.
This Special Issue, "Analysis, Evaluation and Optimization for Public Health Using Systems Thinking," explores how systems approaches enable practitioners and researchers to move beyond symptom management toward addressing root causes and structural mechanisms that affect health and system performance. We invite scholarly contributions that apply systems thinking to diverse public health contexts, ranging from persistent health inequities to rapid pandemic responses, thereby advancing both theoretical understanding and practical applications. The overarching aim is to foster transdisciplinary dialogue and promote the development of more effective, equitable, and sustainable public health outcomes.
Dr. Le Khanh Ngan Nguyen
Guest Editor
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.
Keywords
- systems thinking
- system dynamics
- health systems modelling
- systems mapping
- group model building
- soft and critical systems
- complex adaptive systems
- public health
- health policy
- complexity theory
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