Systems approaches to population health in Canada: how have they been applied, and what are the insights and future implications for practice?

Objectives: Systems approaches are promising yet under-utilized methods for tackling complex public health problems. This paper explores how systems approaches are understood in the public health literature, how they have been applied in Canada, the insights, and implications for future practice.

Methods: A rapid review of the literature, including a content analysis and cross-case comparison, was conducted.

Case study of the use of evaluation evidence to inform diabetes prevention programming in two Canadian health regions: effectiveness of evaluation evidence.

This study compares the use of evidence in two 18-month Canadian projects with a similar goal: improved prevention of type II diabetes in women from ethno-cultural communities with a gestational diabetes diagnosis. Evidence used for both projects included epidemiological data and research literature, needs assessments with the target population, and project evaluations. Contexts for the use of evidence differed between the two projects in terms of the innovation and its level of complexity; organizational context and system readiness for change; and partnership characteristics.