Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #121072

Derek A. Cabrera, Cornell University, 87 Olde Towne Road, Ithaca, NY 14850, 6075924562, dac66@cornell.edu and William Trochim, PhD, Policy Analyses and Management, Cornell University, 132MVR Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853.

Objectives. Awareness and support for systems thinking in public health is growing, yet there are real and practical challenges to implementation. This empirical project identifies and describes these challenges from the perspectives of public health practitioners and researchers.

Methods. A systems-based methodology, concept mapping, was used in a study of 133 participants from 2 systems-based public health initiatives (the Initiative for the Study and Implementation of Systems and the Syndemics Prevention Network) and identified 100 key challenges to implementation of systems thinking and modeling in public health.

Results. The project resulted in a map that identifies 8 categories of challenges and the dynamic interactions among them. Conclusions. Implementation by public health professionals of these 8 simple rules suggested in the map will help to address challenges and encourage the emergence of effective systems initiatives.

Learning Objectives:

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• To increase knowledge of the vast history, depth, and breadth of systems sciences as introduction and context to systems thinking. (
• To refine the construct of systems thinking by understanding four conceptual-definitional claims and counter claims. (
• To better understand the challenges of implementing systems thinking in the public health context through analysis of a study of systems initiatives in public health, and (
• To consider existing and new methodological approaches to systems thinking and to understanding complex human systems such as public health.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.