Analysis of a Systems Theory - Research Paper Example

Systems Theory Lecturer Systems Theory Systems theory is a disciplinary study of systems in general, with an aim of highlighting principlesthat that are applied to all kinds of systems at all the nesting levels in all the research fields. Systems theory may not have a definite meaning, however, systems theory is considered a general specialization of systems thinking, a systems approach, and a generalization of systems science. Systems theory originated from the general system theory of Bertalanffy (GST) and is mainly used in other fields in later efforts like the Tacott Parsons’ action theory, and the Niklas Luhmaa theory of social systems (Churchman, 1968). This paper therefore seeks to evaluate the role of systems theory in the development of public health practice, examine the theory of globalization and its impact on public health, and analyze and evaluate the evolution of systems theory. I addition, the paper will evaluate how action research theory applies to public health and the theory and application of action research. The paper will highlight examples of action research in public health in relation to African American group. The system of public health is tied intrinsically to public health finance. This system of public health represents main signposts for increasing and defining knowledge on public health finance and illustrating public health finance benefits for reasons of strengthening the system of public health. However, public health transforms into an enterprise of the 21st century and adopts concepts of finance that are significant to prosperous versus merely existing under a bombardment of criticisms of the stakeholders. The public health finance advancement offers an infusion of hope that the concepts will be mainstreamed and embraced as core public health values. Systems theory therefore plays a vital role in the development of public health practice. The role of systems theory in the development of public health practice Systems theory plays a major role in the development of public health practice. Systems theory has been used to compare international health care resources and health care expenditure, which is often measured as a fraction of per capita or gross domestic product. Systems theory in health services differentiates public health measures of real resources such as medical equipment, medicines and human resources, from financial resource measures such as public health expenditures. Systems theory also compares data that underlies the health care system. This role can result into more vital insights for future health care system management. Systems theory also plays a role in regulating the provision of ambulatory personal health services, which contribute to public health system performance. This contributes to large instant gain in the population health status. Systems theory in public health also accounts for health expenditure and comprises a large share of the financial load associated with the consumption of health care in the households. Another major role played by the systems theory in public health practice is the determination of the performance of health system, which is often not understood and considered insufficiently in programs and policies for health care system reforms. Systems theory additionally analyzes the organizations of public health care services and the primary ways through which system performance can be affected by the organizations. Hence, systems theory improves performance of public health practice (Churchman, 1968). Systems theory explores evidence on which policymakers base their decisions when handling challenges of health care system reforms. It traces the emerging public health concept, and infers that public health must respond to factors like the changing health care needs and the evolving technologies. Systems theory also plays a role in behavioral interventions such as programs of quality assurance, transition of the culture of organizations, and the use of motivations and financial incentives. Through these strategies, systems theory becomes a significant determinant of quality of health care. In addition, systems theory examines the contracts intended to deliver public health services, this is done so through making services funded publicly more transparent, accountable and efficient. Systems theory is known to play a role in reviewing evidences and highlight theories that relates to contracts for public health practice services, as well as examines the implications for the existing contractual relationships in middle and low income countries. Systems theory defines the roles of private and state providers of public health services. The theory also helps in arriving at rational decisions to make or buy health care services or goods. System theory examines core activities of production in the public health practice through a conceptual framework that puts together organizational theory and institutional economics. The system theory takes into considerations the empirical evidence from modalities of actual production. System theory indicates that the valuable resources are usually ignored by the public health sector. I addition, the contestability and measurability problems that are associated with complex, expensive and concentrated forms of production require skilled contracting mechanisms and strong regulatory environment before the states relies on getting the services from the private health sector. System theory also helps in achieving the objectives of the agreed policy in the public health practice (Churchman, 1968). The theory of globalization and its impact on public health The theory of globalization focuses on the spread of worldwide relations, practices, social life, and consciousness. Theory of globalization evolved due to the concerns of the real world with drastic transformations of globalization and the reaction against modernization theory perspective. Globalization may be analyzed economically, culturally, and politically. Some of the cultural theorists perceive globalization to produce homogeneity or cultural imperialism consequence. Others look at it to produce different local forms. The theory of globalization has various consequences and impacts on public health of the general population and individuals. The public health of the population is closely related to the economic status and condition of a nation. This is because health is one of the major indicators of economic and developmental progress of any country. For example, the populations of developed nations are healthier that those in developing countries. Public health focuses on population and measures and identifies the threats to the population health, seeks to assure specific health and other related services, and develops the policies of the government in response to public health concerns resulting from globalization (Walt, 1998). Public health theory has particular essentials that result from the theory of globalization, which results into public health impacts. Some of these elements include: Focus on collective responsibility for public health and promoting and protecting health as a prime role or the state Focus on the entire population Focus on health risk prevention, particularly the primary prevention population strategy Entails approach from multidiscipline that incorporates quantitative and qualitative methods that are proper Takes into consideration the various determinants of disease and health such as environmental, socioeconomic, and etiological agents among other risk factors Theory of globalization impacts directly on public health. This can be seen through the transmission of communicable diseases. This has attracted the attention of international health organization such as UNICEF, UNODC, WTO, IMF, UNFPA, NATO, WB, EC, among others to address issues of globalization and eliminate diseases related to globalization such as TB. Globalizations involves a web of risks and phenomenon that impacts on the sustainability of public health and health systems. The risks that are pertinent to theory of globalization undermine public health and the system of national health. For example, the spread of HIV/AIDS is majorly facilitated by migration and extensive travel making populations vulnerable to involve themselves in practices associated with high risks of infection. Theory of globalization also leads to compliance and adoption of unhealthy behaviors and life styles that are promoted via cross boarder communication, which adversely affects the vulnerable communities (Walt, 1998). The theory of globalization as stated earlier impacts majorly on public health of the vulnerable populations due to massive migration and travels. Some of the major impacts of theory of globalization on public health include: Dealing with the increasing disease burden and HIV/AIDS: underdeveloped nations face triple burden of both non communicable and communicable diseases as well as other emerging infections. Dealing with increased health expenditure: there is an increase in health expenditures due to the fact that populations can afford more expensive treatments and care, and the triple burden of disease. This increase in health expenditure brings about real challenges to developing countries on how to freeze or reduce health expenditures instead of utilizing the resources of the country on the programs of disease prevention. Dealing with inequity between and within countries: the trend to introduce the autonomous public health and the private health care result into minimal access to basic health care by the poor within countries. This leads to an enlarging gap between the developing poor countries and developed nations in terms of health care mobilization and equity and utilization of resources. Dealing with inefficient and low quality of care: This is due to lack of access to services of primary health and basic health care and inefficient use of tertiary care within the nations. International bodies have however tried to respond to these impacts of globalization on public health. There has been formulation and implementation of control and prevention programs, such as communicable disease surveillance and control, knowledge management like research in public health, regularization of the laws regulating public health, vulnerable populations like refugees, migrants and women, targeted problem solving in leading research to action, and development of health system or building capacity with the international public health support. There is also a need for the international organizations to eliminate the lagging overlap efforts, put emphasis on important functions, and develop an improved dialogue with transnational cooperation and non-governmental organizations, as well as support in reforms of the national systems. Many regional based health organizations like ASEAN, Act Malaria, and APEC bind the concerned parts of the world on public health at research, policy, and actual activities and programs levels through collaboration, negotiation, cooperation, technical assistance, training, and research (Walt, 1998). Summarily, in order to do away with these adverse public health effects, all countries must play a role in setting goals, mobilization of funds and promotion, priority setting, advocating and developing mechanisms of international cooperation in order to gear up public health surveillance apart from strengthening the resources of the institutions, and technical and health resources development. Economic globalization and trade liberalization present formidable uncertainties and challenges in the promotion of public health in developing nations. The evolution of systems theory The systems theory evolved during the fifties. This is when the principles and concepts of the general systems theory was established and made into use by the pioneers (Fagen, Ashby, Gerard, Boulding, Rappoport, and Bertalanffy) of the systems movement. These pioneers represented many different fields of study and disciplines. They had one shared common conviction which was articulated among them: the unified and common nature of reality. These scholars recognized a coercing need for the inquiry of a unified discipline in dealing and understanding with advancing complexities beyond the any particular competence of any given discipline. Consequent to this, the scholars developed a perspective of a trans-discipline that focuses on the interdependence and intrinsic order of the world in all the manifestations. The evolution of the systems inquiry incorporated interrelated domains of multidisciplinary inquiry: systems methodology, systems philosophy, and systems theory. Contrary to the reductionist, analytical, and linear causal paradigm of the classical science, the philosophy of systems brings a reorientation of the world thought and view, which is manifested by expansionist, synthetic thinking mode, and non-linear dynamic. The scientific evolution and exploration of the systems theory stands for different sciences, and has brought into being a general systems theory, which is a set of interrelated principles and concepts that applies to all the systems. In the evolution of the system theory, systems methodology offers a set of strategies, models, tools and methods; which instrumentalizes systems philosophy and theory in analysis, development, design, problem solving and management of the complex systems (Churchman, 1968). The theory and application of action research Action research is an approach of practice to professional inquiry in any social circumstance or situation. The professional inquiry context may change, however, the processes and principles involved in action research are similar without any regards to the nature of the practice. Action research as a process of interactive inquiry balances actions of problem solving that are implemented in a cooperative and collaborative context with research or data driven collaborative analysis in order to understand the causes that allows future anticipations about organizational and personal change. Action research go critiques the traditional social science through going beyond the reflective knowledge that is established by the sampling variables of the outside experts to an active moment data collection, theorizing and inquiry that occurs in the midst of emergent structure. Research knowledge is often got for action and via action. Action research is therefore applied in solving an immediate problem or as a reflective process of a continuous problem solving that is led by people or individual persons working with others as a part of community practice or in teams in order to improve the manner in which they solve problems and address issues (Walt, 1998). This may sometimes be referred to as participatory action research. How action research theory applies to public health As stated above, Action research is an approach of practice to professional inquiry in any social circumstance or situation. It is used in public health in alleviating adverse conditions of public health of the community through addressing the community wide interventions, determinants of health, and health promotion. Therefore this applies to public health through its use in solving an immediate problem or as a reflective process of a continuous problem solving that is led by people or individual persons working with others as a part of community practice or in teams in order to improve the manner in which they solve problems and address issues. Action research also applies to public health as a reflective knowledge that is established by the sampling variables of the outside experts to an active moment data collection, theorizing and inquiry that occurs in the midst of emergent structure. Action research is particularly for societal change progressing via cyclical stages of public health planning, acting, evaluating, and reflecting. Examples of action research in public health Action research in public health include those activities that are used in alleviating adverse conditions of public health of the community through addressing the community wide interventions, determinants of health, and health promotion. For example, action research may be: a collaborative action by international health organization promoting prevention of communicable diseases, a district wide action that works together to solve health issues and concerns within the district or to improve the structure of organization, a community wide action focusing on a health problem in the community, or a single researcher focusing on a single public health problem. The examples of action research given above all include a common phase of conducting research: identification of the problem, collecting and organizing data, interpreting data, acting upon what in got from the data, and reflecting on the outcome and process. References Churchman, C. W. (1968). The Systems Approach. New York: Dell Publ. Co. Walt, G. (1998) Globalization of international health. World Health, The Lancet, 351, pp. 434-437. Read More