Objective: To present an approach to build capacity for the use of systems science to support local communities in municipal public health and well-being planning.
Design: Case study.
Setting: Local government authorities participating in the VicHealth Local Government Partnership in Victoria, Australia.
Participants: Local government staff members were trained in community-based system dynamics (CBSD), and group model building (GMB) techniques to mobilise local community efforts. The trained local government facilitation teams then delivered GMB workshops to community stakeholder groups from 13 local government areas (LGA)s.
Main Outcomes: Training in CBSD was conducted with council facilitation teams in 13 LGAs, followed by the local delivery of GMB workshops 1-3 to community stakeholders. Causal loop diagrams (CLD) representing localised drivers of mental well-being, healthy eating, active living or general health and well-being of children and young people were developed by community stakeholders. Locally tailored action ideas were generated such as well-being classes in school, faster active transport and access to free and low-cost sporting programmes RESULTS: Overall, 111 local government staff participated in CBSD training. Thirteen CLDs were developed, with the stakeholders that included children, young people and community members, who had participated in the GMB workshops across all 13 council sites. Workshop 3 had the highest total number of participants (n=301), followed by workshop 1 (n=287) and workshop 2 (n=171).
Conclusions: Local facilitation of the CBSD process has developed community informed and locally relevant CLDs that will be used to lead local action to improve the well-being of children and young people. Training employees in CBSD is one approach to increase systems thinking capacity within local government.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-068190 | DOI Listing |
PeerJ
January 2025
Department of Nursing and Public Health, University of Northern Iowa, Iowa, United States of America.
Background: The risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in conflict and post-conflict settings in Northeastern Nigeria has not been evaluated to date. As this region undergoes recovery, understanding the prevalence of NCDs, such as hypertension, diabetes, depression, and obesity, and the associated behavioral coping mechanisms, is crucial for developing tailored healthcare solutions. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the impact of conflict on the prevalence of NCDs in conflict-exposed areas in Northeastern Nigeria compared with non-conflict regions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Nutr
January 2025
Department of Biochemistry, Nutrition, and Health Promotion, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, United States.
Introduction: This study investigates the sociodemographic, economic, and area characteristics associated with Online Grocery Purchasing (OGP) use among adult residents of Mississippi. Understanding these factors is important in a largely rural and low-income state to address barriers and enhance accessibility.
Methods: Data were collected from a 2022 online pilot survey ( = 398) and secondary sources.
Glob Health Action
December 2024
Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Social vulnerability has been shown to be a strong predictor of disparities in health outcomes. A common approach to estimating social vulnerability is using a composite index, such as the social vulnerability index (SVI), which combines multiple factors corresponding to key social determinants of health. Lawal and Osayomi created an SVI to explore key social determinants of health-related COVID-19 infection among the Nigerian population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Korean Med Sci
January 2025
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University Seoul Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
This study employed focus group interviews (FGIs) to evaluate the preparedness and training requirements for an emerging infectious disease response system in the Republic of Korea. Based on the FGIs, the critical role of interdepartmental cooperation in responding to emerging infectious diseases was identified, with agencies such as public health centers, police, and fire services playing key roles in scene control, decontamination, and patient transport. Frequent staff turnover and a lack of trained personnel at local government levels were significant challenges, necessitating the development of training materials for unskilled workers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCell Commun Signal
January 2025
Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Background: Interleukin (IL)-38 is an IL-1 family cytokine that was proposed to exert anti-inflammatory effects. However, its mechanisms of action are not well understood and the identity of the IL-38 receptor(s) remains debated. Proposed candidates include the IL-1 receptor (IL-1R1), the IL-36 receptor (IL-36R) and the orphan receptor IL-1RAPL1.
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