Systems Thinking Approach in a Low-income setting

This book focuses on the dynamics of Maternal Health Services utilization using a Systems Thinking approach. It underlines the linear nature of public health interventions in Nigeria, as a common development approach. The health system is a dynamic and evolving system that is driven by the interrelationship and interdependencies within expressed as the system behavior. This study evolved a model to represent the causal interrelationship, interdependencies and feedback influences of the multifactorial and multisectoral public health approach on utilization of public maternal health services using a Systems Thinking approach. This enabled us draw inferences on the effect on the mother, the intended end-beneficiary of these interventions. Causal Loop Diagram is used to identify reinforcing and balancing feedback loops that explain the behavior or outcomes being observed. The findings revealed that the feedback in the system is driven by limited resources at the household levels, technical quality of health care services, and knowledgeableness of women on maternal health services.