title: Sustainability science: an integrated approach for health-programme planning.
abstract: Planning for programme sustainability is a key contributor to health and development, especially in low-income and middle-income countries. A consensus evidence-based operational framework would facilitate policy and research advances in understanding, measuring, and improving programme sustainability. We did a systematic review of both conceptual frameworks and empirical studies about health-programme sustainability. On the basis of the review, we propose that sustainable health programmes are regarded as complex systems that encompass programmes, health problems targeted by programmes, and programmes' drivers or key stakeholders, all of which interact dynamically within any given context. We show the usefulness of this approach with case studies drawn from the authors' experience.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, the Royal Melbourne Hospital and University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Russell L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Gruen
authors.forename: Julian H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: Monica L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Nolan
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Lawton
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parkhill
authors.forename: Cameron J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: McLaren
authors.forename: John N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Lavis
mesh_terms: D003906:Developing Countries; D006285:Health Planning / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011634:Public Health; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration*