Using Behavior Over Time Graphs to Spur Systems Thinking Among Public Health Practitioners
Larissa Calancie1, Seri Anderson2, Jane Branscomb3
1Center for Health Equity Research, Social Medicine Department, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB No. 7240, Chapel Hill, NC 27599.
Preventing Chronic Disease
|February 2, 2018
Summary
Behavior Over Time (BOT) graphs facilitate systems thinking for public health practitioners. This visual tool helps understand complex factors influencing population health trends and encourages stakeholder collaboration.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Systems Science
- Health Behavior
Background:
- Chronic disease rates in the U.S. are influenced by interconnected systems like healthcare, economy, and education.
- Systems thinking tools enhance public health practitioners' capacity to understand and navigate complex societal factors.
- Behavior Over Time (BOT) graphs offer a visual method for analyzing trends and systemic influences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the application of BOT graphs in public health for fostering discussion and systems thinking.
- To evaluate the utility of BOT graphs in advancing systems-level thinking among maternal and child health (MCH) practitioners.
- To demonstrate how BOT graphs can be used to engage diverse stakeholders in understanding public health challenges.
Main Methods:
- Utilized BOT graphs to visually represent variables over time.
- Annotated graphs with significant events and systemic forces impacting trends.
- Facilitated group discussions among diverse public health practitioners and partners using BOT graphs.
Main Results:
- The BOT graph process was applied to groups of maternal and child health (MCH) practitioners and partners (N=101).
- 86% of participants (N=84) agreed or strongly agreed they would use the BOT graph process with stakeholders.
- The process was found to advance participants' systems-level thinking regarding MCH challenges.
Conclusions:
- BOT graphs are effective tools for stimulating discussion and systems thinking in public health.
- The described BOT graph process can be adapted for various public health issues and stakeholders.
- This methodology enhances collaborative understanding of factors contributing to population health trends.
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