Towards realist-informed ripple effects mapping (RREM): positioning the approach.

Area of Science:

• Public Health Evaluation
• Complex Systems Research
• Methodological Innovation

Background:

• Ripple effects mapping (REM) and realist evaluation are key methodologies for understanding impact and change in public health whole systems approaches.
• Despite widespread use, the combined effectiveness of these evaluation methods remains underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a rationale and process for combining realist evaluation and ripple effects mapping.
• To propose a novel realist-informed ripple effects mapping (RREM) protocol.

Main Methods:

• The paper outlines a protocol for realist-informed ripple effects mapping (RREM).
• The RREM protocol is informed by a case study in physical activity within public health settings.
• This approach integrates the strengths of both realist evaluation (explaining how and why) and REM (illustrating impact).

Main Results:

• The amalgamation of realist evaluation and REM provides a more comprehensive understanding of public health interventions.
• The realist-informed ripple effects mapping (RREM) approach effectively captures both the observable impacts and the underlying causal mechanisms of change.
• This combined methodology is suitable for various public health, whole system, and physical activity evaluation contexts.

Conclusions:

• Combining realist evaluation and REM enhances the illumination of impacts within complex public health and whole system initiatives.
• The novel RREM approach has the potential to drive future research and improve evaluation practices.
• This integrated method fosters a culture of learning, refinement, and reflection in public health evaluation.