Health Equity in Times of a Pandemic: A Plea for a Participatory Systems Approach in Public Health

Systems thinking in, and for, public health: a call for a broader path

Systems thinking has been recognized as valuable to public health policy, research and practice. Commentators and reviews have highlighted that there is still much to be done to embrace its potential. Here, we highlight that much of the discourse about systems thinking in, and for, public health supports the pursuit of a narrow path and is limited with respect to the lineages of Systems that are embraced. We invite readers to see the potential of systems thinking in pursuing a broader path which is motivated by a concern for alleviating health inequalities. This does not replace the narrow path but encompasses it. It prompts different considerations with respect to the nature of the transformation, partnership working and legitimacy. It also invites a different way of engaging with systems thinking and different ways of conceptualizing and managing change. The broad path both requires, and helps enhance, new ways of doing, relating, organizing, knowing and framing which are vital for the future of public health as a global concern.

Whether Social Participation Can Affect the Central Government Public Policy Response to the COVID-19 in China

Objective

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has threatened the state's governance and public safety. This study investigates whether and how public participation can affect central government policy response to this pandemic in the context of China.

Methods

This study constructs the theoretical framework based on theoretical analysis, and Social Network Analysis is used to analyze data on the public participation, New Media, and the central government response in this pandemic.

Results

Findings show that the Chinese central government does not always adopt top-down elitist governance strategies in risk management. The central government will also adopt the bottom-up governance strategy triggered by public participation. In this process, New Media acts as a catalyst. Specifically, when faced with a public emergency and needs a policy response from the central government, public participation firstly creates "participation" with the authority of the media, forms public opinion, and then the prompt policy response from the central government.

Conclusion

This study confirms that the central government will refer to public participation to decide the policy response. It also shows that the theory of government response applies to both the local government and the central government.