Systems Thinking In Public Health (Coursera)

An important part of systems thinking is the practice to integrate multiple perspectives and synthesize them into a framework or model that can describe and predict the various ways in which a system might react to policy change. Systems thinking and systems models devise strategies to account for real world complexities.

This work was coordinated by the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, the World Health Organization, with the aid of a grant from the International Development Research Centre, Ottawa, Canada. Additional support was provided by the Department for International Development (DFID) through a grant (PO5467) to Future Health Systems research consortium.

Syllabus

WEEK 1

Introduction to Systems Thinking and Complex Adaptive Systems

This module introduces the basics of systems thinking and the rationale for using a systems approach to solve public health problems in complex adaptive systems.

WEEK 2

System Conceptualization Using Causal Loop Diagrams

This module will introduce you to the concepts of causal loop diagrams and how they can be used in participatory research. You will also be introduced to the software Vensim that allows you to draw causal loop diagrams.

WEEK 3

System Dynamics Simulation Using Stock-and-Flow Diagrams

This module will introduce you to the concepts of systems dynamics modeling and will show you how to use Vensim to run a pre-existing system dynamics model.

WEEK 4

Practical and policy implications

This Module wraps up the course and shows you how systems thinking can contribute to policy making.