Mapping the Multidisciplinary Field of Public Health Services and Systems Research

The field of public health services and systems research (PHSSR), which evaluates the public health system, combines a range of theoretical and methodological perspectives but lacks a strong identity.

Researchers used a citation network approach and Google Scholar PageRank technology to map the relationship among published articles. They identified seed articles in research and followed the citations of those forward in time.

Results of analysis:

  • 2,986 unique documents were published between 1993 and 2009.
  • More than 2,000 unique lead authors contributed an average of 1.3 articles to the network.
  • 10 top authors contributed 8 to 39 articles each.
  • Articles in the network were cited between zero and 387 times by other articles in the network.
  • The main path included 108 articles and seven of the seeds.
  • Latent position cluster modeling identified four subfields:
  1. National Public Health Performance Standards Program
  2. Public health law
  3. Behavioral interventions
  4. Local health department activities, effectiveness and partnership (core)
  • While subfields 1 through 3 had citations to core subfield 4, there was a lack of cross-subfield citations among the other three.

To meet PHSSR national goals the unconnected research areas need to be connected, ideally through transdisciplinary research teams.

April Issue of Health Affairs Focuses on Patient Safety and Health Care Quality

  1. 1. The Ongoing Quality Improvement Journey
  2. 2. A Road Map for Improving the Performance of Performance Measures
  3. 3. The Trade-Off Among Quality, Quantity, and Cost
  4. 4. 'Global Trigger Tool' Shows that Adverse Events in Hospitals May be Ten Times Greater Than Previously Measured
  5. 5. Preventing Bloodstream Infections
  6. 6. Measuring the Performance of Individual Physicians by Collecting Data from Multiple Health Plans
  7. 7. Measuring Health Care Performance Now, Not Tomorrow
  8. 8. Despite Improved Quality of Care in the Veterans Affairs Health System, Racial Disparity Persists for Important Clinical Outcomes
  9. 9. The Importance of Transitional Care in Achieving Health Reform
  10. 10. An Early Status Report on the Beacon Communities' Plans for Transformation Via Health Information Technology
  11. 11. A Comparative Study of 11 Local Health Department Organizational Networks
  12. 12. Public Health Performance
  13. 13. A Self-Assessment Process for Accreditation Preparedness
  14. 14. Public Health Delivery Systems
  15. 15. A Shot in the Rear, Not a Shot in the Dark
  16. 16. What Predicts Local Public Health Agency Performance Improvement?
  17. 17. Growth of a Scientific Community of Practice
  18. 18. Evolution of Coauthorship in Public Health Services and Systems Research
  19. 19. Resources that May Matter
  20. 20. Evidence Links Increases in Public Health Spending to Declines in Preventable Deaths
  21. 21. Public Health Financial Management Competencies
  22. 22. Decision Science
  23. 23. Public Health Financial Management Needs
  24. 24. Data-Driven Management Strategies in Public Health Collaboratives
  25. 25. Using Geographic Information Systems to Match Local Health Needs with Public Health Services and Programs
  26. 26. Public Health Systems and Services Research
  27. 27. Mapping the Multidisciplinary Field of Public Health Services and Systems Research

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