BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: There has been limited success addressing complex public health problems using "siloed" approaches. A next important step in addressing persistent public health problems is adopting an "integrative" approach-intentional collaboration across the domains of research, clinical practice, community, and policy. This synthesis of the literature aggregates and synthesizes the diffuse and multi-disciplinary integration literature base to describe key concepts, aspects of praxis, and challenges and successes to help guide interprofessional practice. METHODS: A three-step approach was used: 1) a wide-ranging search for articles on integration theory/praxis; 2) a more focused search in the health literature bases; 3) a snowball strategy to identify additional studies. DISCUSSION/ CONCLUSIONS: Identified themes included elements of successful integration; characteristics of an effective integrator; and dynamics between stakeholders in integration praxis. Results of this synthesis of the integration literature provide a deeper understanding of integration and points to clear and exciting next steps for integration praxis and inquiry.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: There has been limited success addressing complex public health problems using "siloed" approaches. A next important step in addressing persistent public health problems is adopting an "integrative" approach-intentional collaboration across the domains of research, clinical practice, community, and policy. This synthesis of the literature aggregates and synthesizes the diffuse and multi-disciplinary integration literature base to describe key concepts, aspects of praxis, and challenges and successes to help guide interprofessional practice. METHODS: A three-step approach was used: 1) a wide-ranging search for articles on integration theory/praxis; 2) a more focused search in the health literature bases; 3) a snowball strategy to identify additional studies. DISCUSSION/ CONCLUSIONS: Identified themes included elements of successful integration; characteristics of an effective integrator; and dynamics between stakeholders in integration praxis. Results of this synthesis of the integration literature provide a deeper understanding of integration and points to clear and exciting next steps for integration praxis and inquiry.
Authors: Abraham Wandersman; Jennifer Duffy; Paul Flaspohler; Rita Noonan; Keri Lubell; Lindsey Stillman; Morris Blachman; Richard Dunville; Janet Saul Journal: Am J Community Psychol Date: 2008-06
Authors: Sanne Magnan; Elliott Fisher; David Kindig; George Isham; Doug Wood; Mark Eustis; Carol Backstrom; Scott Leitz Journal: Minn Med Date: 2012-11