Modeling Behavior In Complex Public Health Systems

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This graduate text is the first to present methods for modeling health behavior dynamics, using numerous online interactive simulations, downloadable programs, and examples of applications to planning interventions. The book examines behaviors that range from simple individual health protective actions to complex cooperative public health actions. It provides a user-friendly and effective method for teaching systems thinking, a core competency now required by the Association of Schools of Public Health. The text presents evolutionary and ecological models of health behavior, which readers first explore using interactive online simulations. The fundamental principles of these models are explained through the book's narrative and demonstrated through the use of simple board games. The text then shows how to translate these board games into computational models using Netlogo, a free, user-friendly software. Thus no computer programming background is required. Readers will learn the basics of agent-based modeling of individual behavior, social network behavior, organizational behavior, spread of disease, and a variety of public health interventions. Applying these methods to public health systems, sample models introduce the dynamics of networks of organizations and how they can interact to protect health. A unifying theme throughout is how complex individual and collective health behavior develop from simple individual health decisions or behavior repeated over time. The book also includes a student's models at successive stages of learning, including her early-stage incorrect program, which readers can themselves try to correct. Students will learn to create their own models, use them to conduct simulated experiments, and apply these methods to planning and evaluating behavior change interventions. Each chapter provides online interactive models and downloadable sample programs. Key Features: Uses interactive simulation for modeling health behavior dynamics for complex public health systems Demonstrates agent-based modeling of individual health behavior, network behavior, public health intervention effects, and the spread of disease Teaches readers to create models that can improve their local needs assessments, program logic modeling, and program planning and evaluation Includes numerous interactive online simulations, downloadable programs, and examples of applications to planning interventions Facilitates "systems thinking," a required core competency

Disease Modelling and Public Health, Part A, Volume 36 addresses new challenges in existing and emerging diseases with a variety of comprehensive chapters that cover Infectious Disease Modeling, Bayesian Disease Mapping for Public Health, Real time estimation of the case fatality ratio and risk factor of death, Alternative Sampling Designs for Time-To-Event Data with Applications to Biomarker Discovery in Alzheimer's Disease, Dynamic risk prediction for cardiovascular disease: An illustration using the ARIC Study, Theoretical advances in type 2 diabetes, Finite Mixture Models in Biostatistics, and Models of Individual and Collective Behavior for Public Health Epidemiology. As a two part volume, the series covers an extensive range of techniques in the field. It present a vital resource for statisticians who need to access a number of different methods for assessing epidemic spread in population, or in formulating public health policy. Presents a comprehensive, two-part volume written by leading subject experts Provides a unique breadth and depth of content coverage Addresses the most cutting-edge developments in the field Includes chapters on Ebola and the Zika virus; topics which have grown in prominence and scholarly output

Systems thinking and modeling have been essential approaches to identifying the drivers of health outcomes and analyzing their complex interrelationships, paving the way to interventions that improve outcomes while minimizing unintended consequences. These methods support interdisciplinary teams in representing and navigating complex systems, thus asking essential 'what-if' questions and serving numerous other goals, from guiding data collection efforts to comparing the perspectives of stakeholders or validating theories. This volume features methodological innovations and applications for several determinants and key global health priority areas. Priority determinants include, but are not limited to, social determinants (e.g., health inequalities), behavioral factors and facets of the healthcare system. Systems thinking and modeling can shed light on how such determinants ultimately shape health outcomes and/or the cost-effectiveness of an intervention. This volume covers several determinants, collectively providing a comprehensive overview of the challenges and applications of systems thinking to public health. This volume will benefit researchers in the fields of public health, systems thinking or modeling. The content is accessible to early-career researchers, such as graduate students, who may choose specific chapters within their areas of interest as part of identifying open challenges to inspire their own research.

Complex Systems and Computation in Public Health Sciences 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 perspectives.

The essential health behavior text, updated with the latest theories, research, and issues Health Behavior: Theory, Research and Practice provides a thorough introduction to understanding and changing health behavior, core tenets of the public health role. Covering theory, applications, and research, this comprehensive book has become the gold standard of health behavior texts. This new fifth edition has been updated to reflect the most recent changes in the public health field with a focus on health behavior, including coverage of the intersection of health and community, culture, and communication, with detailed explanations of both established and emerging theories. Offering perspective applicable at the individual, interpersonal, group, and community levels, this essential guide provides the most complete coverage of the field to give public health students and practitioners an authoritative reference for both the theoretical and practical aspects of health behavior. A deep understanding of human behaviors is essential for effective public health and health care management. This guide provides the most complete, up-to-date information in the field, to give you a real-world understanding and the background knowledge to apply it successfully. Learn how e-health and social media factor into health communication Explore the link between culture and health, and the importance of community Get up to date on emerging theories of health behavior and their applications Examine the push toward evidence-based interventions, and global applications Written and edited by the leading health and social behavior theorists and researchers, Health Behavior: Theory, Research and Practice provides the information and real-world perspective that builds a solid understanding of how to analyze and improve health behaviors and health.

This volume describes frontiers in social-behavioral modeling for contexts as diverse as national security, health, and on-line social gaming. Recent scientific and technological advances have created exciting opportunities for such improvements. However, the book also identifies crucial scientific, ethical, and cultural challenges to be met if social-behavioral modeling is to achieve its potential. Doing so will require new methods, data sources, and technology. The volume discusses these, including those needed to achieve and maintain high standards of ethics and privacy. The result should be a new generation of modeling that will advance science and, separately, aid decision-making on major social and security-related subjects despite the myriad uncertainties and complexities of social phenomena. Intended to be relatively comprehensive in scope, the volume balances theory-driven, data-driven, and hybrid approaches. The latter may be rapidly iterative, as when artificial-intelligence methods are coupled with theory-driven insights to build models that are sound, comprehensible and usable in new situations. With the intent of being a milestone document that sketches a research agenda for the next decade, the volume draws on the wisdom, ideas and suggestions of many noted researchers who draw in turn from anthropology, communications, complexity science, computer science, defense planning, economics, engineering, health systems, medicine, neuroscience, physics, political science, psychology, public policy and sociology. In brief, the volume discusses: Cutting-edge challenges and opportunities in modeling for social and behavioral science Special requirements for achieving high standards of privacy and ethics New approaches for developing theory while exploiting both empirical and computational data Issues of reproducibility, communication, explanation, and validation Special requirements for models intended to inform decision making about complex social systems

The anthrax incidents following the 9/11 terrorist attacks put the spotlight on the nation's public health agencies, placing it under an unprecedented scrutiny that added new dimensions to the complex issues considered in this report. The Future of the Public's Health in the 21st Century reaffirms the vision of Healthy People 2010, and outlines a systems approach to assuring the nation's health in practice, research, and policy. This approach focuses on joining the unique resources and perspectives of diverse sectors and entities and challenges these groups to work in a concerted, strategic way to promote and protect the public's health. Focusing on diverse partnerships as the framework for public health, the book discusses: The need for a shift from an individual to a population-based approach in practice, research, policy, and community engagement. The status of the governmental public health infrastructure and what needs to be improved, including its interface with the health care delivery system. The roles nongovernment actors, such as academia, business, local communities and the media can play in creating a healthy nation. Providing an accessible analysis, this book will be important to public health policy-makers and practitioners, business and community leaders, health advocates, educators and journalists.