SSM - Health Systems

SSM - Health Systems specialises in publishing interdisciplinary social science research that focuses on improving health systems and resources, broadly defined to include health systems and social care and support systems that impact on health and well-being of populations around the world.

SSM - Health Systems shares the same general approach to manuscripts as its companion title, Social Science & Medicine. The journal takes a broad view of its subject matter, welcoming all submissions that make important, original contributions to our understanding of how policy, practice and resource allocation can be used to improve person-centred approaches and performance, responsiveness, equity and inclusiveness of health systems. We are especially interested in publishing papers that cross disciplinary boundaries within the social sciences, drawing on perspectives that span multiple fields, including economics, political science, sociology, anthropology, psychology, and organisation studies. We impose no constraints on the methodological approaches we are willing to consider - papers employing quantitative, qualitative, participatory and mixed methods will all be welcome. Finally, we will have a special interest in publishing papers from under-represented researchers and papers concerning health systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) from LMIC researchers.

SSM - Health Systems will cover:

• Comparative Health Systems

• Health Systems in fragile and conflict affected settings

• Health systems in rural and urban contexts

• Resource allocation and health financing within Health Systems

• Governance, leadership and management of Health Systems

• Information systems and decision making in Health Systems

• Medicines in Health Systems

• Social Science Approaches for Research and Engagement in Health Policy & Systems

• Private Sector in Health

• Health workforce, including the role of Community Health Workers in Health System Development

• Quality in Universal Health and Health Care

• Access and barriers to health services

• Teaching and Learning Health Policy and Systems Research

• Intersectoral action for health systems strengthening

• Ethics and safeguarding in Health Systems Research

• Gender, equity, disability and/or intersectionality in Health Systems Research

• Eldercare systems

• Person-centred approaches to health systems strengthening

• Compassion and participation in health systems design and development