Informing Health Policy Decision-Making with Community Level System Dynamics Modeling

Dr. Mabry will describe a systems science methodology called system dynamics modeling and will present a rationale for this type of approach in developing health policy.  She will illustrate how this method can be used to model effects outside the boundaries of the traditional health care system. Involving a variety of stakeholders in the model building process can catalyze a wider range of efforts to assure healthier and more equitable conditions in cities, towns, and neighborhoods. Dr. Mabry will describe a process of group model building that fosters greater citizen and organizational engagement through identification of shared goals, improved insight on the nature of complex problems, and a common understanding of priorities for using limited resources.  Illustrations from an ongoing modeling project in Austin, Texas and similar projects in other communities will show how this process can be used to engage local stakeholders in developing a system dynamics model of factors affecting multiple chronic diseases and risk factors. Insights from this modeling project are being used to inform policy decisions for improving health and health equity.