University of Tasmania
Browse

File(s) under permanent embargo

How far can systematic reviews inform policy development for “wicked” rural health service problems?

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-18, 06:19 authored by Humphreys, JS, Kuipers, P, Wakerman, J, Wells, R, Jones, JA, Leigh Kinsman
Policy makers and researchers increasingly look to systematic reviews as a means of connecting research and evidence more effectively with policy. Based on Australian research into rural and remote primary health care services, we note some concerns regarding the suitability of systematic review methods when applied to such settings. It suggests that rural and other health services are highly complex and researching them is akin to dealing with “wicked” problems. It proposes that the notion of “wicked” problems may inform our understanding of the issues and our choice of appropriate methods to inform health service policy. Key issues including the complexity of health services, methodological limitations of traditional reviews, the nature of materials under review, and the importance of the service context are highlighted. These indicate the need for broader approaches to capturing relevant evidence. Sustained, collaborative synthesis in which complexity, ambiguity and context is acknowledged is proposed as a way of addressing the wicked nature of these issues.

History

Publication title

Australian Health Review

Volume

33

Issue

4

Pagination

592-600

ISSN

0156-5788

Department/School

School of Nursing

Publisher

CSIRO Publishing

Place of publication

Australia

Rights statement

Copyright 2009 AHHA

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Health policy evaluation

Usage metrics

    University Of Tasmania

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC