Health promotion dissemination and systems thinking: towards an integrative model

Abstract

Objective: To help close the gap between health promotion research and practice by using systems thinking.

Methods: We reviewed 3 national US tobacco control initiatives and a project (ISIS) that had introduced systems thinking to tobacco control, speculating on ways in which systems thinking may add value to health promotion dissemination and implementation in general.

Results: The diversity of disciplines involved in tobacco control have created disconnection in the field; systems thinking is necessary to increase the impact of strategies.

Conclusion: Systems thinking has potential to improve synthesis, translation, and dissemination of research findings in other health promotion initiatives.