The comprehensive 360° model of research: its foundations and exemplary application in spinal cord injury

Abstract

Objective: This paper introduces the “360° Model of Research”, a novel framework designed to prioritize functioning as a primary health indicator, particularly for individuals living with health conditions. The goal is to promote this model as a comprehensive, person-centred, and interdisciplinary approach to health research, moving beyond the traditional siloed and disease-based methodologies. Methods: The paper is conceptual, integrating existing scientific literature and theoretical frameworks to build the 360° Model. It draws on interdisciplinary perspectives from rehabilitation, social sciences, health services research, and ethics, among others, to create a unified health science focused on optimizing functioning. Results: The 360° Model emphasizes functioning as a key health indicator, combining biological health with lived experience. The Model provides a reference framework for data collection, but does not presume any particular explanatory theory about how lived experience is created or interpreted by the individual. It has been successfully applied in the Swiss Spinal Cord Injury Cohort Study (SwiSCI), demonstrating its value in addressing the comprehensive needs of individuals with spinal cord injury through interdisciplinary collaboration and a learning health system theory. Conclusion: The 360° Model offers a transformative approach, highlighting the importance of functioning in health research. It provides a robust foundation for a new interdisciplinary field of Human Functioning Sciences, aimed at optimizing health and well-being across diverse populations.

Keywords

• health status indicators
• functioning
• interdisciplinary research
• patient-centred care
• rehabilitation
• spinal cord injuries