Using systems science methods to enhance the work of national and local walking partnerships: practical insights from Ireland

Abstract

Background Physical activity (PA) literature is dominated by individual-level descriptive studies, which are known to have limited impact on population PA levels. Leveraging systems science methods offers opportunities to approach PA in a manner which embraces its inherent complexity. This study describes how participatory systems mapping and social network analysis (SNA) were used to understand the work of local and national level walking systems in Ireland. Methods Two adapted participatory action research workshops with multisectoral stakeholders were used to develop a systems map for walking in Cork, Ireland. The Global Action Plan for Physical Activity 2018–2030 (GAPPA) map was used as a framework to categorize workshop outcomes. Secondly, SNA methods were used to analyse the communication network between partners of Get Ireland Walking, a national walking promotion initiative, as defined within their strategic plan and the actual communication network as experienced by the partners. Results The systems mapping process allowed stakeholders to identify 19 suggested actions for the Cork walking system. The SNA found that there were considerably fewer communication ties between partners in the actual communication network than in the strategy defined network. Conclusion The systems mapping process was a useful catalyst for engaging stakeholders in cross-sectoral communication and the GAPPA was a practical way to organize workshop outcomes. Social network analysis methods highlighted that the communication network of a national level walking promotion partnership is not working as planned. Overall, the use of systems science methods can provide practical insights for local and national level walking systems.

‘It's About Collaboration’: A Whole-Systems Approach to Understanding and Promoting Movement in Suffolk

“…Actions to leverage change included raising awareness with partners beyond the system, sharing policies, resources, insight, evidence, and capacity, and collaborating to co-produce a collective vision and strategy. These ndings complement and extend the growing body of evidence, which has utilised a pluralism of methodologies to understand the dynamic system underpinning participation in PA (19)(20)(21) and chart leverage points for change within this complexity (22,39,42,(46)(47)(48). This research provides important insight into the steps underpinning a shift towards a whole-systems and place-based approach to working.…”

Guiding prevention initiatives by applying network analysis to systems maps of adverse childhood experiences and adolescent suicide

“…Figure 2 exemplifies how centralities might be calculated on a fragment of the NCIPC model. These centrality measures have been used in numerous other studies on network science for public health (Power et al, 2022;Brauer et al, 2022;Smith et al, 2022), as well as in other comparative studies on systems maps (Krabbe, 2014;Kim and McCarthy, 2021;Wang and Giabbanelli, 2023).…”

A critical analysis of walking policy in Ireland and its contribution to both national and international development goals

“…Walking promotion and development is not the sole responsibility of one sector, organisation, or discipline. Previous work by our research group (11) has demonstrated the potential for systems science methods, specifically systems mapping, to assist with engaging multidisciplinary stakeholders at local level in Ireland. Although Power and colleagues used systems mapping as a catalyst to engage stakeholders, systems mapping can also (40), and acknowledging walking as its own transport mode when collecting data and devising policies is recommended (41), it must be noted that this approach to local level walking policies may exacerbate disciplinary siloes.…”

“…Engaging with multiple sectors has been noted as best practice in the PA policy development literature (20,21,42). However, a study conducted by Power et al (11) which used social network analysis methods to evaluate the communication network between the multidisciplinary actors involved in the implementation of the GIW SAP, found that there was a mismatch between how actors were required to communicate (based on collaborative actions in the GIW SAP) compared with how actors communicated in practice. The lack of clarity in relation to the roles and responsibilities of the stakeholders involved in the implementation of the GIW SAP may be explained by the lack of political leverage held by GIW.…”

“…Among many factors, the lack of upstream interventions, such as policies, promoting PA has led to stagnating physical inactivity levels globally and an evidence base congested with individual level, cross sectional studies (8,9). The recent shift towards systems approaches to PA has begun to incorporate sectors beyond health, sport and transport in to conversations pertaining to PA (3,(10)(11)(12). However, ensuring PA policy and research decisions are transparent with global targets can supplement whole-of-systems approaches and can provide a new momentum to PA promotion (7).…”