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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Systems Thinking In Public Health by Johns Hopkins University

4.6
stars
917 ratings

About the Course

This course provides an introduction to systems thinking and systems models in public health. Problems in public health and health policy tend to be complex with many actors, institutions and risk factors involved. If an outcome depends on many interacting and adaptive parts and actors the outcome cannot be analyzed or predicted with traditional statistical methods. Systems thinking is a core skill in public health and helps health policymakers build programs and policies that are aware of and prepared for unintended consequences. An important part of systems thinking is the practice to integrate multiple perspectives and synthesize them into a framework or model that can describe and predict the various ways in which a system might react to policy change. Systems thinking and systems models devise strategies to account for real world complexities. This work was coordinated by the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, the World Health Organization, with the aid of a grant from the International Development Research Centre, Ottawa, Canada. Additional support was provided by the Department for International Development (DFID) through a grant (PO5467) to Future Health Systems research consortium. © World Health Organization 2014 All rights reserved. The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted and dashed lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement. The mention of specific companies or of certain manufacturers’ products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by the World Health Organization in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. Errors and omissions excepted, the names of proprietary products are distinguished by initial capital letters. All reasonable precautions have been taken by the World Health Organization to verify the information contained in this publication. However, the published material is being distributed without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. The responsibility for the interpretation and use of the material lies with the reader. In no event shall the World Health Organization be liable for damages arising from its use. Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health has a non-exclusive license to use and reproduce the material....

Top reviews

NM

Jun 7, 2019

This is an excellent-excellent course and provides a good primer even to somebody (like me) who has only a very limited exposure to public health and none to the concepts of systems thinking.

SV

Mar 11, 2018

The course is one of the best that I've attended on Coursera. This will be highly useful in my current course "Healthcare Operations Management" that I am offering for MBA students in India.

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151 - 175 of 209 Reviews for Systems Thinking In Public Health

By Mona A A

Jul 24, 2020

good

By Ashenafi M

Feb 6, 2017

Every one in charge of leading, coordinating, managing public health activities, especially at higher level &/or in developing countries, must take such training. Because this helps any one to avoid rigidity in using his/her authority or helps understand what effects might have their decisions in the community and starts to think contextually plus systematically.

Every one is not right or wrong there should be a check up mechanism in order to converge every ones perspectives included in the system and at least respected to minimise later on resistance for the success our "good mission".

By Johnathan P

Mar 12, 2016

While focused on the subject of public health systems, this course is also a good experience for anybody who is simply interested in the benefits of systems thinking and the applications of causal models. While there are a few hiccups in the course content (a couple files not available as of Mar 2016), the overall experience here is excellent. The instructors break down each topic into understandable elements and provide excellent real world examples. Overall, I greatly enjoyed this course and recommend it to others.

By Matheus C d R

Jun 1, 2018

It's a great course, gives an approach to a set of interesting and, I believe, increasingly important skills. Systems thinking is a remarkable field of knowledge. I think the course could give a greater emphasis at developing the mindset that allows us to better see and understand the systems in our realities, as well as the components that form them. Other than that, I'd say it's an essential amount of information for today's (and perhaps tomorrow's) public health.

By Bevan C

May 4, 2022

Good subject matter and application of theoty and knowledge. Increased my knoweldge base. I note the 'age' of the course so perhapsupdating with additional facets such as role of socail media engement in policy as refered to might be a good refresh as well as any updates in technology applications. Also the 'quizzes' were interesting and certainly made you think hard about your reponses in places-effort to mark ration interesting in some cases. Nga mihi nui.

By James B

Jun 17, 2020

This is a good class. The material is well presented and the course leaders are knowledgeable and present the course in an engaging manner. The examples are relevant. I would have appreciated a bit more opportunity to work on actual models within the class structure. Also, some of the test questions were poorly designed and worded, which created a bit of confusion and uncertainly from time to time. Overall, however, thee are minor quibbles.

By Karl T

Sep 7, 2023

It was an excellent tasting of complex systems analysis and helps the participants appreciate the work needed to use systems dynamic tools in public health. Our instructors keep us interested in this profoundly complex way of thinking and approaching causal loops and stock flow diagrams. It has excited me to pursue more training in systems dynamics in health.

Thank you

By Claudia

Apr 19, 2019

This course was super interesting. I learned a lot and cannot wait to learn more about it. The reason it has one star less, is that there is a discussion forum, but hardly any feedback or answers to questions from the staff. I had several question which, if answered, would have helped me understand it even better. But I never received an anwer :-(

By Tashi P

Oct 27, 2020

Tis has been very useful. As a public heath policy and planning lead, this gave me a reinforced encouragement to think for a wide systems perspective and the tools to narrow down target setting and realizing health sector goals. This has ben a welcome opportunity to invest my time productively.

By Nikita

Nov 23, 2019

I had a great time engaging with the course. I do think though, that I needed more time with the week 3 syllabus, as it more to do with modelling. I was interested in understanding the basics of using system thinking to understand my own work better, which was covered in week 1 and 2.

By Kassahun E

May 10, 2022

I am glad to take this course and it is more valuable for our work, could you please help me by delivered the certificate with your consideration about low-income country offer for our country thank you in advance for your understanding and temendious support.

By Sancha S

Sep 16, 2024

The course was really well organised and clearly presented. It has immediate rpactical applications, which is also appreciated. I would have liked to see more discussion on real and actual cases. Some of the suggested readings were behind a pay wall.

By Шамирзаева Л Р

Dec 28, 2020

Good course and in my view shold be studied in the beginning of master degree programs related to healthcare management and economics. Interesting an useful but quite difficult interms of reading graphics and schemes.

By Anita C

Oct 19, 2019

The course was helpful in understanding how to use the systems thinking models in practice.

I found the course challenging and stimulating and see how I can use it in my current public health practice

By Gayathri L

Jul 28, 2017

I was hoping to get a perspective on the origin and theories of systems thinking, however the course does not focus on that. The course is a practical tool to apply systems thinking in one's work.

By Art 1

May 26, 2020

It should probably have 2 more weeks of detail.

The questions should be less about trying to trick the person with convoluted wording, and more about solving actual problems using models.

By Sean L

Jun 20, 2021

It's systematic and well-structured to introduce a new concept of problem solving. It's really effective in making me learn from the scratch and ready to apply them.

By Thomas S

Sep 17, 2017

Great introduction to Systems Thinking as applied to public health problems and policy-making, with some basic hands-on experience in different modelling techniques.

By Sonal S

May 29, 2017

The course is easy to understand and the lecturer are well read about the subject. It will be very helpful to me in near future working as a public health worker

By Mauricio G

Aug 19, 2016

I enjoyed this course very much. I rate 4/5 because I would liked a broader explanation on how to translate Stock and Flow Diagrams to mathematical models.

By Lana S

Apr 17, 2016

It was a nice and informative experience. It was a good introductory to basic concepts and skills which base the way for further reading on the subject.

By Dilpreet B

Jul 11, 2017

Great course. I was a bit limited in how much I could learn, since my background is not from public health, but I learnt a lot about systems thinking.

By Bronté M

Jun 30, 2019

Great course with knowledge that is accessible to those who want to learn about systems thinking, but aren't a part of the public health sector.

By Wang Z

Jul 27, 2018

Overall a wonderful course, but some course materials are hard to understand, and probably should be explained more thoroughly in plain English.

By Juan E B V

Dec 22, 2018

Really good course, short and clear about a great way to think and approach problems not jus tin public health but in different areas.