Systems-informed approaches to evaluating population health interventions: Reflections from three case studies
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: There have been many calls for systems-informed approaches to evaluation. Population health interventions, which often focus on improving the upstream determinants of health through large-scale change, seem well-suited to systems-informed approaches to evaluation. The purported benefits and appropriateness of taking a systems-based approach to population health intervention evaluation have been extensively discussed, and there is a growing, but still limited, number of applied case studies that operationalised these calls. Here, we reflect on insights gained from recent experiences across three evaluation case studies: a late-night levy to support local policing (UK), the tiered soft drinks industry levy (UK) and a value-based tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (Barbados). Building on theoretical work in this area, we illustrate through applied examples how a systems-informed approach can help to cast a wider net for potential impacts, be integrated with an effectiveness perspective to produce deeper insights and support greater engagement with non-linearity.
Source: Evaluation
Language: English
Field: Decision Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,650
Awards: G1804009019, How do sugar-sweetened beverage taxes really work? A complexity-informed synthesis to guide best-practice development, G1973973516, G2145130673, G2525916338, G3505007512, University of Nottingham and University of Birmingham - Antimicrobials and Antimicrobial Resistance, How do sugar-sweetened beverage taxes really work? A complexity-informed synthesis to guide best-practice development, G5309775136, G7236867882, G963295319
OpenAlex ID: W7161629720