Integrating Multiple Insights To Solve Complex Problems
The Representation and Practice of Interdisciplinarity in Health Policy and Systems Research Kim MacQuilkan and Jill Olivier
(Health Policy and Systems Division, School of Public Health, University of Cape Town)
BACKGROUND:
RESULTS:
Interdisciplinarity is expressed in HPSR in its definition as an interdisciplinary field, and as a separate practice as well as research approach (interdisciplinary research).
Systematic Review 144 documents for review
However there has been a paucity of research conducted on interdisciplinarity within HPSR, with a lack of clarity on its conceptualisation and practice.
Category A: Examples of IDR (93)
HPSR acknowledges complexity and focussed intention is required to facilitate the innovative methodology and cross-disciplinary collaboration, necessitated by complex heath system problems.
Category B: Conceptual Documents (51)
Analysis 1 Sub-category 1: Multiple disciplinary research (15) [MDR (8) and IDR (7)]
Sub-category 2: Integrationist perspective (18)
Method: Case Example – Progression of HPSR as an Interdisciplinary Field • Bibliometric tools are often utilised to evaluate interdisciplinary fields or the extent of ID expressed in a field or discipline (Porter et al. 2008). • Building from this, a small sample of journal articles were purposively selected from two HPSR relevant journals (namely Health Policy and Health Policy and Planning), publication range October 2005 and October 2015. • Articles were searched for on WOS then references for each article were classified according to WOS subject categories. Subject categories were additionally grouped into epistemological paradigms (social science, science or both). • The number of different journal articles referenced, the number of different subject categories referenced, and the ratio of references belonging to each paradigm was captured for each article and then averaged for each month.
Sub-category 3: Interprofessional / Team Science (39) [Interprofessional (31) and Team Science (8)]
THEME 2: Advancing Methodology THEME 3: Disciplinary Capture THEME 4: Topic Orientated
Sub-category 3: Mixed OR Undetermined (11)
Integrating Multiple Insights To Solve Complex Problems
Core Conceptual Documents (20)
Sub-category 4: Participatory Action Research (4)
THEME 5: HPSR Capacity
THEME 6: Academia
The concept of interdisciplinarity is strongly expressed in HPSR however, the term interdisciplinarity (and its variations) has been utilised in a variety of ways confusing its representation in HPSR.
KEY OUTCOMES: We recommend that HPSR advances beyond its definition as an interdisciplinary field, and actively pursue interdisciplinarity as an intentional collaborative practice and research approach, with integration of multiple disciplinary insights. This is of particular relevance in the low-middle income country context where the occurrence of political instability, natural disasters, disease epidemics and other health shocks requires creative solutions, as well collaboration with multiple stakeholders To enable the pursuit of interdisciplinarity as a practice and research approach, more guidelines and frameworks need to be developed for teaching, conducting and evaluating interdisciplinary research.
Case Example
Due to the complexity of the topic, a preceding scoping review was conducted to inform and refine the small case example and systematic review process. From this, a small case example was developed to unpack HPSR in terms of its nature as an interdisciplinary field and its development over the last decade. Building from this, a systematic review was then conducted on HPSR literature to explore ID as a practice in HPSR.
THEME 1: Promotion
Sub-category 2: Mixed-Methods Research (35) [Intentional integration? Yes (23) and No (12)]
What is Integrationist Interdisciplinarity? A point of view which considers only an interaction that comprises intentional integration of different disciplinary influences as representative of interdisciplinarity
METHODS:
Promotion of MD or ID (31) Sub-category 1: Generalist perspective (22)
What is Generalist Interdisciplinarity? A point of view which considers any interaction between disciplines as representative of interdisciplinarity regardless of the extent of that interaction
Defining Integration: A process relating to the evaluation and combination of different concepts, theories or methodology into a new, more comprehensive whole which is greater than the sum of its contributory parts.
Analysis 2
There has been an increase in the inclusion of social sciences influences in HPSR journal articles over the last 10 years, further demonstrating the interdisciplinary nature of the field. However, there are few examples of interdisciplinary research with multiple disciplinary insights that have intentionally been integrated and the field is still dominated by the science paradigm.
(Health Policy and Systems Division, School of Public Health, University of Cape Town)
BACKGROUND:
RESULTS:
Interdisciplinarity is expressed in HPSR in its definition as an interdisciplinary field, and as a separate practice as well as research approach (interdisciplinary research).
Systematic Review 144 documents for review
However there has been a paucity of research conducted on interdisciplinarity within HPSR, with a lack of clarity on its conceptualisation and practice.
Category A: Examples of IDR (93)
HPSR acknowledges complexity and focussed intention is required to facilitate the innovative methodology and cross-disciplinary collaboration, necessitated by complex heath system problems.
Category B: Conceptual Documents (51)
Analysis 1 Sub-category 1: Multiple disciplinary research (15) [MDR (8) and IDR (7)]
Sub-category 2: Integrationist perspective (18)
Method: Case Example – Progression of HPSR as an Interdisciplinary Field • Bibliometric tools are often utilised to evaluate interdisciplinary fields or the extent of ID expressed in a field or discipline (Porter et al. 2008). • Building from this, a small sample of journal articles were purposively selected from two HPSR relevant journals (namely Health Policy and Health Policy and Planning), publication range October 2005 and October 2015. • Articles were searched for on WOS then references for each article were classified according to WOS subject categories. Subject categories were additionally grouped into epistemological paradigms (social science, science or both). • The number of different journal articles referenced, the number of different subject categories referenced, and the ratio of references belonging to each paradigm was captured for each article and then averaged for each month.
Sub-category 3: Interprofessional / Team Science (39) [Interprofessional (31) and Team Science (8)]
THEME 2: Advancing Methodology THEME 3: Disciplinary Capture THEME 4: Topic Orientated
Sub-category 3: Mixed OR Undetermined (11)
Integrating Multiple Insights To Solve Complex Problems
Core Conceptual Documents (20)
Sub-category 4: Participatory Action Research (4)
THEME 5: HPSR Capacity
THEME 6: Academia
The concept of interdisciplinarity is strongly expressed in HPSR however, the term interdisciplinarity (and its variations) has been utilised in a variety of ways confusing its representation in HPSR.
KEY OUTCOMES: We recommend that HPSR advances beyond its definition as an interdisciplinary field, and actively pursue interdisciplinarity as an intentional collaborative practice and research approach, with integration of multiple disciplinary insights. This is of particular relevance in the low-middle income country context where the occurrence of political instability, natural disasters, disease epidemics and other health shocks requires creative solutions, as well collaboration with multiple stakeholders To enable the pursuit of interdisciplinarity as a practice and research approach, more guidelines and frameworks need to be developed for teaching, conducting and evaluating interdisciplinary research.
Case Example
Due to the complexity of the topic, a preceding scoping review was conducted to inform and refine the small case example and systematic review process. From this, a small case example was developed to unpack HPSR in terms of its nature as an interdisciplinary field and its development over the last decade. Building from this, a systematic review was then conducted on HPSR literature to explore ID as a practice in HPSR.
THEME 1: Promotion
Sub-category 2: Mixed-Methods Research (35) [Intentional integration? Yes (23) and No (12)]
What is Integrationist Interdisciplinarity? A point of view which considers only an interaction that comprises intentional integration of different disciplinary influences as representative of interdisciplinarity
METHODS:
Promotion of MD or ID (31) Sub-category 1: Generalist perspective (22)
What is Generalist Interdisciplinarity? A point of view which considers any interaction between disciplines as representative of interdisciplinarity regardless of the extent of that interaction
Defining Integration: A process relating to the evaluation and combination of different concepts, theories or methodology into a new, more comprehensive whole which is greater than the sum of its contributory parts.
Analysis 2
There has been an increase in the inclusion of social sciences influences in HPSR journal articles over the last 10 years, further demonstrating the interdisciplinary nature of the field. However, there are few examples of interdisciplinary research with multiple disciplinary insights that have intentionally been integrated and the field is still dominated by the science paradigm.
