This is a six-part seminar series with a focus on complexity-informed methods that may help evaluate population health interventions (PHIs).

Some of the questions that are important in population health are ‘should we do more of this or more of that?’ or ‘how can we optimize the benefits while minimizing the harms of a certain intervention?’ (Ogilvie et al., 2019). We are also interested in ‘did it work?’ questions, but these seem to only get us part of the way towards being able to make policy-relevant recommendations.

Perhaps part of the answer is that we may need a broader range of methods to help understand how and why an intervention did or did not make a difference and to assess: ‘what happened?’, ‘what may happen in a different setting?’, and ultimately, ‘what should we recommend in a given setting?’(Joyce and Cartwright, 2019; Ogilvie et al., 2020; Rutter et al., 2017).

The methods and ideas covered in this series draw on a range of disciplines (e.g. political science, philosophy, systems science) and may offer some potential ways forward. Discussing their various strengths and limitations may also guide method selection and help to build a community of practice.

For enquiries about this series or to register to attend future sessions, please contact Miriam Alvarado  Miriam.Alvarado@mrc-epid.cam.ac.uk

---

Series Overview

Session 1: Challenges in evaluating population health interventions and reflections across settings

• Prof. Karen Hofman, Priority Cost Effective Lessons for Systems Strengthening SA, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
• Dr. Jean Adams, MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
• Dr. Madhuvanti Murphy, George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre (GACDRC), University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados

Session 2: Process tracing: What it is and how to use it?

Prof. Andrew Bennett, Georgetown University, Washington D.C., USA

Session 3: Qualitative Comparative Analysis: What it is and how to use it?

• Dr. Heather Kane, RTI International, North Carolina, USA
• Dr. Leila Kahwati, RTI International, North Carolina, USA

Sorry, this session is not available online. Please contact Miriam Alvarado – Miriam.Alvarado@mrc-epid.cam.ac.uk – if you have questions about this session.

Session 4: Systems thinking in practice – 4 May 2022 – 14.00UK (BST)

Prof. Eric Wolstenholme, Symmetric Partnership, UK

Session 5: Predictions of Effectiveness and Causality in Single Cases – 17 May 2022 – 14.00UK (BST)

Prof. Nancy Cartwright, Durham University, Durham, UK

Session 6: Reflections & way forward – 14 June 2022 – 14.00UK (BST)

Dr. Miriam Alvarado & panel TBC