Getting to the root cause of health disparities is essential because campaigns and interventions to change individual behavior will not be effective if the real problem requires a change in policies, systems, or the environment (or surrounding conditions) in which people live, work, and play. Root cause solutions are also more sustainable, since they usually result in a longer lasting solution than surface solutions that are only a temporary fix.
The key to framing the right problem and being able to pursue the right solution is using root cause analysis (RCA) to get to the bottom of the problem. In today’s episode (3rd in our series on social determinants of health) we introduce three essential root cause analysis frameworks that should be part of your toolkit: the groundwater approach, the Ishikawa or fishbone diagram, and the 5 Why’s.
Starting with root cause analysis can help you uncover the reasons for poor health outcomes, so you can design campaigns and interventions that will address the real problem and get better long-term results.

Resources:

Find out more about the Groundwater Approach:
https://www.groundwaterinstitute.com/
https://racialequityinstitute.org/groundwater-approach/

The basic fishbone diagram: https://media.noria.com/sites/Uploads/2020/4/25/c319983b-b8ed-4d2e-8130-38962d1074b6_Fishbone_Diagram_680x357_extra_large.jpeg

Several examples of fishbone diagrams, filled in with causes:

• https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/fishbone-diagram-ishikawa-methodology-infographic-scheme-missed-deadline-measurements-materials-personnel-environment-methods-203442770.jpg
• https://uha.blob.core.windows.net/accelerate/attachments/ckkcscmvl00sw0omsak1tudkh-hci-huntsman-checkin-fishbone-example.full.png
• https://www.phf.org/resourcestools/Online/Public_Health_Fishbone.pdf

More about the 5 Why’s:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_whys
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