title: Participatory simulation modelling to inform public health policy and practice: Rethinking the evidence hierarchies.
abstract: Drawing on the long tradition of evidence-based medicine that aims to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of clinical practice, the field of public health has sought to apply 'hierarchies of evidence' to appraise and synthesise public health research. Various critiques of this approach led to the development of synthesis methods that include broader evidence typologies and more 'fit for purpose' privileging of methodological designs. While such adaptations offer great utility for evidence-informed public health policy and practice, this paper offers an alternative perspective on the synthesis of evidence that necessitates a yet more egalitarian approach. Dynamic simulation modelling is increasingly recognised as a valuable evidence synthesis tool to inform public health policy and programme planning for complex problems. The development of simulation models draws on and privileges a wide range of evidence typologies, thus challenging the traditional use of 'hierarchies of evidence' to support decisions on complex dynamic problems.
authors.affiliation: The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre, Sax Institute, PO Box K617, Haymarket, Sydney, NSW, 1240, Australia. eloisemayodonnell@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Eloise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: O'Donnell
authors.affiliation: The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre, School of Medicine, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Jo-An
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.affiliation: The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre, Knowledge Translation and Health Outcomes, Epidemiology Section, ACT Health, GPO Box 825, Canberra City, ACT, 2601, Australia.
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Freebairn
authors.affiliation: The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre, School of Medicine, The University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Lucie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rychetnik
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D011050:Policy Making; D015980:Public Health Practice; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012107:Research Design
keywords: dynamic simulation modelling; evidence hierarchy; evidence synthesis; health policy; participatory modelling; systems science