Cross-Sector Collaboration for a Healthy Living Environment—Which Strategies to Implement, Why, and in Which Context?

Natascha J. E. van Vooren, Hanneke W. Drewes, Esther de Weger, Inge M. B. Bongers and Caroline A. Baan
Additional contact information
Natascha J. E. van Vooren: Department of Quality of Care and Health Economics, Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Hanneke W. Drewes: Department of Quality of Care and Health Economics, Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Esther de Weger: Department of Quality of Care and Health Economics, Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Inge M. B. Bongers: Tranzo, Tilburg School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Tilburg University, P.O. Box 90153, 5000 LE Tilburg, The Netherlands
Caroline A. Baan: Tranzo, Tilburg School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Tilburg University, P.O. Box 90153, 5000 LE Tilburg, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 17, 1-15

Abstract: Background: Working toward a healthy living environment requires organizations from different policy domains and nongovernment partners involved in public health and the living environment to collaborate across sectors. The aim of this study is to understand how this cross-sector collaboration for a healthy living environment can be achieved. Methods: The realist evaluation approach was used to investigate what strategies can be used in which contexts to achieve cross-sector collaboration. The “Collaborative Adaptive Health Networks” framework was used as a theoretical framework. Seventeen partners of three Dutch projects collaborating for a healthy living environment in different regions were interviewed about their experiences during the initiating phase of their projects. Results: Seven themes for achieving cross-sector collaboration were identified, namely creating a feeling of equivalence, building trust, bridging different perspectives, providing clarity regarding roles and tasks, creating commitment, creating active engagement, and understanding whom to engage and when. For each theme, the strategies that were used, and why, were specified. Conclusion: This study provides new insights in how cross-sector collaboration for a healthy living environment can be achieved in different contexts. Whether the start of a cross-sectoral collaboration is successful is largely influenced by the choice of leadership and the interorganizational relations.

Keywords: cross-sector collaboration; healthy living environment; realist evaluation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/17/6250/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/17/6250/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:17:p:6250-:d:405177

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().