Intersectoral Collaboration in Healthcare: an Overview of International Practices

Background. Health promotion and universal health coverage are among the functions of any healthcare system which include public, private and voluntary organizations providing health services to the population. However, healthcare actors cannot single-handedly ensure the accessibility of medical care to all individuals. It is intersectoral interactions that could improve the capabilities, performance and efficiency of healthcare system.

Objective. To consider the possibilities of intersectoral collaboration in healthcare through the relevant examples of the implementation of intersectorality in healthcare practices.

Materials and methods. Common research methods with the content analysis of international scientific articles as the main one were applied. The practices of intersectoral interaction for ensuring public health promotion and access to medical care were identified and collected from all analyzed articles.

Results. Intersectoral collaboration might be carried out between various departments and authorities, educational and civil society organizations, commercial companies and other entities. The performance and efficiency of intersectoral collaboration are achieved using the specially developed tools. The international practice of intersectoral collaboration on public health protection issues has many great examples of interac­tions facilitating the accomplishment of different goals, such as accessibility of medical care, prevention of noncommunicable diseases, and health emergency response.

1. Adeleye O.A., Ofili A.N. Strengthening intersectoral collaboration for primary health care in developing countries: can the health sector play broader roles? Journal of Environmental and Public Health. 2010;2010:272896. doi: 10.1155/2010/272896.

2. World Health Organization. Declaration of Alma-Ata. In: Proceedings of International Conference on Primary Health Care. Geneva, Switzerland. 1978.

3. Lawn J.E., Rohde J., Rifkin S., Were M., Paul V.K., Chopra M. Alma-Ata 30 years on: revolutionary, relevant, and time to revitalise. Lancet. 2008;372:917-927. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(08)61402-6.

4. WHO. Intersectoral action for health: a cornerstone for health-for-all in the twenty-first century. In: Proceedings of International Conference on Intersectoral Action for Health. Halifax, Canada. 1997.

5. Nutbeam D. Evaluating health promotion-progress, problems and solutions. Health Promotion International. 1998;13(1):27-44.

6. Brolan C.E., McEwan C.A., Hill P.S. Australia's overseas development aid commitment to health through the sustainable development goals: a multi-stakeholder perspective. Global Health. 2019;15(1):66. doi: 10.1186/s12992-019-0507-5.

7. Najafi M., Mosadeghrad A.M., Arab M. Mechanisms of Intersectoral Collaboration in the Health System: A Scoping Review. Iran Journal Public Health. 2023;52(11):2299-2312. doi: 10.18502/ijph.v52i11.14030.

8. Coming together: Multi-sector convergence in healthcare. URL: https://kpmg.com/xx/en/home/in-sights/2021/09/coming-together-multi-sector-convergence-in-healthcare.html (дата обращения: 12.03.2024).

9. Stead D. Institutional aspects of integrating transport, environment and health policies. Transport Policy. 2008;15(3):139-148.

10. Puska P., Vartiainen E., Tuomilehto J., Nissinen A. 20-year experience with the №rth Karelia Project, Preventive activities yield results. №rd Medicine. 1994;109:54-5.

11. Spiegel J., Alegret M., Clair V., Pagliccia N., Martinez B., Bonet M., Yassi A. Intersectoral action for health at a municipal level in Cuba. International Journal of Public Health. 2012;57(1):15-23. doi: 10.1007/s00038-011-0279-z.

12. Ho S., Javadi D., Causevic S., Langlois E.V., Friberg P., Tomson G. Intersectoral and integrated approaches in achieving the right to health for refugees on resettlement: a scoping review. BMJ Open. 2019;1;9(7):e029407. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-029407.

13. Arora M., Chauhan K., John S., Mukhopadhyay A. Multi-sectoral action for addressing social determinants of noncommunicable diseases and mainstreaming health promotion in national health programmes in India. Indian Journal of Community Medicine. 2011;36(Suppl 1):S43-9. doi: 10.4103/0970-0218.94708.

14. Goh L.G., Chua T., Kang V., Kwong K.H., Lim W.Y., Low L.P. et al. Ministry of health clinical practice guidelines: Screening of cardiovascular disease and risk factors. Singapore Medical Journal. 2011;52:220-5. quiz 226-7.

15. Le H.T., Mai H.T., Pham H.Q., Nguyen C.T., Vu G.T., Phung D.T., Nghiem S.H., Tran B.X., Latkin C.A., Ho C.S., Ho R.C. Feasibility of Intersectoral Collaboration in Epidemic Preparedness and Response at Grassroots Levels in the Threat of COVID-19 Pandemic in Vietnam. Front Public Health. 2020;17;8:589437. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.589437.

16. Hunter D.J., Perkins N., Bambra C., Marks L., Hopkins T. et al. Partnership Working and the Implications for Governance: issues affecting public health partnerships. 2011.