Main description:

Currently, population health science is an integral part of global academic curricula. For over a century, the principles of the reductionist paradigm have guided population health curricula, training, research, and action. Researchers continue to draw upon these principles when theorizing, conceptualizing, designing studies, analyzing, and devising interventions to tackle complex population health problems. However, unresolved impasses in addressing pressing
population health challenges have catalyzed calls for the integration of complex-systems-science-grounded approaches into population health science. Mounting evidence denotes that a complex systems paradigm can bring about dramatic, multipronged changes for education and training, and lead to innovative
research, interventions, and policies. Despite the large and untapped promise of complex systems, the haphazard knowledge base from which academics, researchers, students, policymakers, and practitioners can draw has slowed their integration into the population health sciences.

This volume fulfils this growing need by providing the knowledge base necessary to introduce a holistic complex systems paradigm in population health science. As such, it is the first comprehensive book in population health science that meaningfully integrates complex systems theory, methodology, modeling, computational simulation, and real-world applications, while incorporating current population health theoretical, methodological and analytical perspectives. It is intended as a programmatic
primer across a broad spectrum of population health stakeholders: from university professors and graduate students, to researchers, policymakers, and practitioners.

Contents:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I: POPULATION HEALTH SCIENCE IN A COMPLEX WORLD

Prologue
Yorghos Apostolopoulos

Chapter 1
Bridging the divide: Where complex systems science meets population health science
Yorghos Apostolopoulos

PART II: COMPLEX SYSTEMS AND THEORY IN POPULATION HEALTH SCIENCE

Introductory Material: Preview and Objectives

Chapter 2
Complex systems in a nutshell: Foundational concepts for population health
Megan S. Patterson, Michael K. Lemke, and Jordan Nelon

Chapter 3
Population health as a complex adaptive system of systems
Scott E. Page and Jon Zelner

Chapter 4
Complex network dynamics in population health
James Moody and Dana K. Pasquale

Chapter 5
Phase transitions and resilience in physical and psychological health
Marcel G.M. Olde Rikkert, Noemi Schuurman, and Rene J.F. Melis

Chapter 6
How complex systems science can revolutionize population health theory
Patricia Goodson

Take-Home Messages

Resources for Further Reading

PART III: COMPLEX SYSTEMS AND METHODOLOGY IN POPULATION HEALTH SCIENCE

Introductory Material: Preview and Objectives

Chapter 7
Designing population health research grounded in complex systems science
Leah Frerichs and Natalie Smith

Chapter 8
Model thinking and formal modeling to improve our mental models in population health research and action
Michael K. Lemke

Chapter 9
Engaging stakeholders in mapping and modeling complex system structure to inform population health research and action
Kristen Hassmiller Lich and Jill Kuhlberg

Chapter 10
Is it time to rethink "normal" in population health research?
Neal Dawson and Pierpaolo Andriani

Take-Home Messages

Resources for Further Reading

PART IV: COMPLEX SYSTEMS AND ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES IN POPULATION HEALTH SCIENCE

Introductory Material: Preview and Objectives

Chapter 11
Mathematical modeling in population health research
Karen Hicklin and Kristen Hassmiller Lich

Chapter 12
Computational simulation modeling in population health research and policy
Nathaniel Osgood

Chapter 13
System dynamics modeling to rethink health system reform
Jack Homer, Bobby Milstein, and Gary B. Hirsch

Chapter 14
Agent-based modeling to delineate opioid and other drug use epidemics
Georgiy Bobashev, Lee D. Hoffer, and Francois R. Lamy

Chapter 15
Hybrid simulation modeling in population health
Sally C. Brailsford, Dave C. Evenden, and Joe Viana

Chapter 16
Validation of microsimulation models used for population health policy
Fernando Alarid-Escudero, Roman Gulati, and Carolyn M. Rutter

Chapter 17
Computational simulation modeling: A tale of five models for health policy analysis
Michael C. Wolfson

Chapter 18
Physical sciences for non-physical problems: Understanding and controlling human disease
Lazaros Gallos

Take-Home Messages

Resources for Further Reading

PART V: TOWARD A NEW POPULATION HEALTH SCIENCE

Introductory Material: Preview and Objectives

Chapter 19
Making the global complexity turn in population health
Brian Castellani

Chapter 20
Harnessing complex systems: An emerging paradigm for a new population health science
Yorghos Apostolopoulos

Take-Home Messages

Resources for Further Reading

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

INDEX