Borbor-Cordova, M., Ryan, S., Lowe, R., von Borries, R., & Stewart Ibarra, A. (2024). A Holistic Systems Approach to Global Health Research, Practice, and Partnerships. In Transforming Global Health Partnerships: Critical Reflections and Visions of Equity at the Research-Practice Interface (pp. 51-65). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland.
ABSTRACT: Emerging and persistent infectious diseases are global threats that have evidenced the interconnectedness and interdependence of the environment, animal, and human systems. To identify solutions to these complex real-world challenges, a systemic approach is needed to understand the interactions among natural and human systems. Collaborative partnerships among researchers from diverse disciplines with policy practitioners and societal actors are also key. Research and public health practice frameworks based on systems thinking approaches have been developed to address the complexity of infectious diseases and other global health threats from local to global scales. For example, the Planetary Health framework focuses on human health and the interactions with the natural systems upon which it depends, stating that the health of human civilization depends on a healthy planet. The One Health approach aims to achieve optimal health and well-being outcomes by recognizing the interconnections between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment. Indigenous Peoples recognize that humans are inextricably interconnected with all life on the planet. Accordingly, the climate crisis and disease threats constitute a “relationship problem.” These holistic knowledge paradigms support a better understanding of infectious disease risks and the development of context-specific interventions to reduce disease transmission through transdisciplinary research and strong multinational partnerships. The theoretical concepts of these perspectives are described in this chapter and illustrated by the authors’ experiences co-developing research approaches for zoonotic and vector-borne diseases, including early warning systems for dengue fever.