ArticlePrevention science : the official journal of the Society for Prevention Research2013
A call to address complexity in prevention science research.
Article in Prevention science : the official journal of the Society for Prevention Research, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 70 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
70 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Dynamic Simulation Models of Suicide and Suicide-Related Behaviors: Systematic Review.JMIR public health and surveillance · 2024Pooled it
- Systems science and systems thinking for public health: a systematic review of the field.BMJ open · 2015Pooled it
- Addressing Health Disparities through Community Engagement in Artificial Intelligence-Driven Prevention Science.Prevention science : the official journal of the Society for Prevention Research · 2026Review
- Participatory systems modeling in implementation research: Exploring benefits, facilitators, and future needs.Journal of clinical and translational science · 2026Article
- Causal Loop Diagrams of Food Systems, Diet, and Obesity: A Scoping Review of Methods, Contextual Factors, and Outcomes.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2025Article
- Understanding relationships among climate change, conflict, migration/displacement and health in humanitarian settings: a scoping review.Conflict and health · 2025Review
- Framework for bias evaluation in large language models in healthcare settings.NPJ digital medicine · 2025Article
- Use of systems thinking and adapted group model building methods to understand patterns of technology use among older adults with type 1 diabetes: a preliminary process evaluation.BMC medical research methodology · 2024Article
- The current state of complex systems research on socioeconomic inequalities in health and health behavior-a systematic scoping review.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2024Article
- How do local authority plans to tackle obesity reflect systems thinking?Perspectives in public health · 2023Article
- Implementation strategies in the Exploration and Preparation phases of a colorectal cancer screening intervention in community health centers.Implementation science communications · 2023Article
- Guidance on the use of complex systems models for economic evaluations of public health interventions.Health economics · 2023Review
- Daily Stress Processes as Potential Intervention Targets to Reduce Gender Differences and Improve Mental Health Outcomes in Mid- and Later Life.Prevention science : the official journal of the Society for Prevention Research · 2023Article
- A Systematic Review of Systems Science Approaches to Understand and Address Domestic and Gender-Based Violence.Journal of family violence · 2023Article
- Article
- Systems Thinking and Complexity Science Methods and the Policy Process in Non-communicable Disease Prevention: A Systematic Scoping Review.International journal of health policy and management · 2023Article
- Increasing use of systems science in cardiovascular disease prevention to understand how to address geographic health disparities in communities with a disproportionate burden of risk.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2023Article
- System dynamics modelling to engage community stakeholders in addressing water and sugar sweetened beverage consumption.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2022Article
- Using decision analysis to support implementation planning in research and practice.Implementation science communications · 2022Article
- High-Fidelity Agent-Based Modeling to Support Prevention Decision-Making: an Open Science Approach.Prevention science : the official journal of the Society for Prevention Research · 2022Article
10 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
The problems targeted by preventive interventions are often complex, embedded in multiple levels of social and environmental context, and span the developmental lifespan. Despite this appreciation for multiple levels and systems of influence, prevention science has yet to apply analytic approaches that can satisfactorily address the complexities with which it is faced. In this article, we introduce a systems science approach to problem solving and methods especially equipped to handle complex relationships and their evolution over time. Progress in prevention science may be significantly enhanced by applying approaches that can examine a wide array of complex systems interactions among biology, behavior, and environment that jointly yield unique combinations of developmental risk and protective factors and outcomes. To illustrate the potential utility of a systems science approach, we present examples of current prevention research challenges, and propose how to complement traditional methods and augment research objectives by applying systems science methodologies.
Indexed as
Identifiers
22983746What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.