title: A systematic literature review of the key challenges for developing the structure of public health economic models.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the key methodological challenges for public health economic modelling and set an agenda for future research.
  
  
  METHODS
  An iterative literature search identified papers describing methodological challenges for developing the structure of public health economic models. Additional multidisciplinary literature searches helped expand upon important ideas raised within the review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifteen articles were identified within the formal literature search, highlighting three key challenges: inclusion of non-healthcare costs and outcomes; inclusion of equity; and modelling complex systems and multi-component interventions. Based upon these and multidisciplinary searches about dynamic complexity, the social determinants of health, and models of human behaviour, six areas for future research were specified.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Future research should focus on: the use of systems approaches within health economic modelling; approaches to assist the systematic consideration of the social determinants of health; methods for incorporating models of behaviour and social interactions; consideration of equity; and methodology to help modellers develop valid, credible and transparent public health economic model structures.
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK. h.squires@sheffield.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Hazel
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Squires
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chilcott
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.|BresMed, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Akehurst
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burr
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Unit, Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Kelly
mesh_terms: D001519:Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D018803:Models, Economic; D011634:Public Health / Q000191:economics*; D064890:Social Determinants of Health / Q000191:economics
keywords: Complexity; Economic model; Literature review; Methods; Model structure; Public health