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Structural integration and performance of inter-sectoral public health-related policy networks: An analysis across policy phases.
Peters, D.T.J.M. Raab, J. Grêaux, Kimberly Stronks, K. Harting, Janneke
Peters, D.T.J.M.
Raab, J.
Stronks, K.
Harting, Janneke
Keyword
Environmental determinants of health
Inter-sectoral policy networks
Network integration
Network performance
Public health-related policy networks
Social network analysis.
Inter-sectoral policy networks
Network integration
Network performance
Public health-related policy networks
Social network analysis.
Location research
Date
2017
Language
English
ISSN
1872-6054
ISBN
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Abstract
Background: Inter-sectoral policy networks may be effective in addressing environmental determinants of health with interventions. However, contradictory results are reported on relations between structural network characteristics (i.e., composition and integration) and network performance, such as addressing environmental determinants of health. This study examines these relations in different phases of the policy process. Methods: A multiple-case study was performed on four public health-related policy networks. Using a snowball method among network actors, overall and sub-networks per policy phase were identified and the policy sector of each actor was assigned. To operationalise the outcome variable, interventions were classified by the proportion of environmental determinants they addressed. Results: In the overall networks, no relation was found between structural network characteristics and network performance. In most effective cases, the policy development sub-networks were characterised by integration with less interrelations between actors (low cohesion), more equally distributed distances between the actors (low closeness centralisation), and horizontal integration in inter-sectoral cliques. The most effective case had non-public health central actors with less connections in all sub-networks. Conclusion: The results suggest that, to address environmental determinants of health, sub-networks should be inter-sectorally composed in the policy development rather than in the intervention development and implementation phases, and that policy development actors should have the opportunity to connect with other actors, without strong direction from a central actor.
Citation
Peters, D. T. J. M., Raab, J., Grêaux, K. M., Stronks, K., & Harting, J. (2017). Structural integration and performance of inter-sectoral public health-related policy networks: An analysis across policy phases. Health policy (Amsterdam, Netherlands), 121(12), 1296–1302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2017.10.001
Sponsorship
Publisher
Elsevier
Journal
Target group
URI
https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14473/160
DOI
10.1016/j.healthpol.2017.10.001