IMAQ Transdisciplinary Research Support Center, IMAQ Research, Winnipeg, Canada
10.22038/ijn.2025.83908.2617
Abstract
Background: Neonatology, a discipline that deals with a variety of medical conditions such as prematurity, breathing, infections and birth defects, has seen rapid development and significant advancements during the past decades to ensure the survival and healthy life of newborns.
Although the efforts of medical scientists following the multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches have successfully reduced the neonatal mortality rate from about 5 million before 2000s to 2.3 million as of 2022, but stills challenges in understanding and addressing the complex neonatal health issues remain unsolved, which invites the necessity to apply complex and comprehensive transdisciplinary research approaches. Transdisciplinary research approaches are complex types of approaches applied for complex types of issues, engaging all stakeholders of society, so a holistic approach to understand the neonatal health, and the impacts of environmental, social, and biological factors should be studied.
This article has shed light on the significance of transdisciplinarity which has proven its role in the development of a sustainable society and these holistic research approaches, can ensure meaningful results to reduce the mortality rate of newborns from 50% to 5%.
Renn O. Transdisciplinarity: Synthesis towards a modular approach. Futures. 2021;130:102744.
Jeder D. Transdisciplinarity–the advantage of a holistic approach to life. Procedia Soc Behav Sci. 2014;137:127-1
Rittel HW, Webber MM. Dilemmas in a general theory of planning. Policy Sci. 1973;4(2):155-1
Lawn JE, Bhutta ZA, Ezeaka C, Saugstad O. Ending preventable neonatal deaths: multicountry evidence to inform accelerated progress to the sustainable development goal by 2030. Neonatology. 2023; 120(4):491-49
Yeung E, Carlin L, Sandassie S, Jaglal S. Transdisciplinary training: what does it take to address today’s “wicked problems”? Innov Educ. 2021;3(1):1-8.
Irfan-Maqsood M. Multidisciplinary vs. Interdi-sciplinary vs. transdisciplinary approaches: key differences and in-depth analysis. IMAQ Journal. 2025;2:44–48.
Choi BC, Pak AW. Multidisciplinarity, interdis-ciplinarity and transdisciplinarity in health research, services, education and policy: 1. Definitions, objectives, and evidence of effectiveness. Clin Invest Med. 2006;29(6):351-364.
Ciesielski TH, Aldrich MC, Marsit CJ, Hiatt RA, Williams SM. Transdisciplinary approaches enhance the production of translational knowledge. Transl Res. 2017;182:123-134.
Klein JT. Evaluation of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research: a literature review. Am J Prev Med. 2008;35(2 Suppl):S116-123.
Hiatt RA, Breen N. The social determinants of cancer: a challenge for transdisciplinary science. Am J Prev Med. 2008;35(2 Suppl):S141-150.
Garg UC. Social Psychiatry and Anthropology: A Transdisciplinary Approach. Indian J Soc Psychiatry. 2024;40(1):3-6.
Conley-Stemple DD, Skuthan A. A Transdisciplinary Approach to the Occupational Therapist and Speech-Language Pathologist Collaboration. J Occup Ther Sch Early Interv. 2024:1-13.
Das NK, Sil A. Evolution of Ethics in Clinical Research and Ethics Committee. Indian J Dermatol. 2017;62(4):373-379.
Salas LA, Peres LC, Thayer ZM, Smith RW, Guo Y, Chung W, et al. A transdisciplinary approach to understand the epigenetic basis of race/ethnicity health disparities. Epigenomics. 2021;13(21):1761-1770.
Olaisen RH. QuickStats: Percentage of Deaths,* by Place of Death†—National Vital Statistics System (US), United States, 2000–2018. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2020;69(19):611.
Dagliana G, Albolino S, Mulissa Z, Davy J, Todd A. From theory to real-world integration: implementation science and beyond. Textbook of patient safety and clinical risk management. 2021:143-57.
Gogan JL, Baxter RJ, Boss SR, Chircu AM. Handoff processes, information quality and patient safety: A trans‐disciplinary literature review. Bus Process Manag J. 2013;19(1):70-94.
McNally S, Phizacklea EC, Gibbs VN, Brown R, Wilcocks KV, O'Brien S, et al. Lean pathways in orthopaedics: multiple wins for sustainability. Orthop Trauma. 2022;36(5):265-2
Gordon RM, Corcoran JR, Bartley-Daniele P, Sklenar D, Sutton PR, Cartwright F. A transdisciplinary team approach to pain management in inpatient health care settings. Pain Manag Nurs. 2014;15(1):426-435.
Satterfield JM, Spring B, Brownson RC, Mullen EJ, Newhouse RP, Walker BB, Whitlock EP. Toward a transdisciplinary model of evidence‐based practice. Milbank Q. 2009;87(2):368-390.
Freeman-Sanderson A, Hammond NE, Brodsky MB, Thompson K, Hemsley B. Sepsis, critical illness, communication, swallowing and Sustainable Development Goals 3, 4, 10. Int J Speech Lang Pathol. 2023;25(1):68-71.
Mahtab S, Madhi SA, Baillie VL, Els T, Thwala BN, Onyango D, et al. Causes of death identified in neonates enrolled through Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS), December 2016–December 2021. PLOS Glob Public Health. 2023;3(3):e0001612.
Peterson HB, Haidar J, Merialdi M, Say L, Gülmezoglu AM, Fajans PJ, et al. Preventing maternal and newborn deaths globally: using innovation and science to address challenges in implementing life-saving interventions. Obstet Gynecol. 2012; 120(3):636-642.
Suárez‐Idueta L, Blencowe H, Okwaraji YB, Yargawa J, Bradley E, Gordon A, et al; National Vulnerable Newborn Mortality Collaborative Group and Vulnerable Newborn Measurement Core Group. Neonatal mortality risk for vulnerable newborn types in 15 countries using 125.5 million nationwide birth outcome records, 2000-2020. BJOG. 2023 May 8.
Hooper S, Habacker H, Frazier D. Developing a Transdisciplinary Team Using Online Data Science Training and a Real-World Case Study on the Pandemic, COVID-19. Transdiscipl J Eng Sci. 2023;14.
Qasemi A, Lagzian M, Bayat Z. Cancer and COVID-19: a double burden on the healthcare system. Iran Red Crescent Med J. 2023;25(2):e2662
Erdei C, Inder TE, Dodrill P, Woodward LJ. The growth and development unit. A proposed approach for enhancing infant neurodevelopment and family-centered care in the neonatal intensive care unit. J Perinatol. 2019;39(12):1684-168
Johnstone S, Miller E, Tyurina A, Ness Wilson L, Winter A. Transforming the NICU environment for parent and staff wellbeing: A holistic and transdisciplinary supportive design approach. How Designers Are Transforming Healthcare: Springer; 2024:77-99.
Hoeman SP. A research-based transdisciplinary team model for infants with special needs and their families. Holist Nurs Pract. 1993;7(4):63-72.
Shah PS, McDonald SD, Barrett J, Synnes A, Robson K, Foster J, et al. The Canadian Preterm Birth Network: a study protocol for improving outcomes for preterm infants and their families. CMAJ Open. 2018;6(1):E44-E49.
Irfan-Maqsood, M. (2025). Critical Analysis of the Current Status of Transdisciplinary Research in Neonatology and Sustainable Development Goals. Iranian Journal of Neonatology, 16(2), 48-52. doi: 10.22038/ijn.2025.83908.2617
MLA
Irfan-Maqsood, M. . "Critical Analysis of the Current Status of Transdisciplinary Research in Neonatology and Sustainable Development Goals", Iranian Journal of Neonatology, 16, 2, 2025, 48-52. doi: 10.22038/ijn.2025.83908.2617
HARVARD
Irfan-Maqsood, M. (2025). 'Critical Analysis of the Current Status of Transdisciplinary Research in Neonatology and Sustainable Development Goals', Iranian Journal of Neonatology, 16(2), pp. 48-52. doi: 10.22038/ijn.2025.83908.2617
CHICAGO
M. Irfan-Maqsood, "Critical Analysis of the Current Status of Transdisciplinary Research in Neonatology and Sustainable Development Goals," Iranian Journal of Neonatology, 16 2 (2025): 48-52, doi: 10.22038/ijn.2025.83908.2617
VANCOUVER
Irfan-Maqsood, M. Critical Analysis of the Current Status of Transdisciplinary Research in Neonatology and Sustainable Development Goals. Iranian Journal of Neonatology, 2025; 16(2): 48-52. doi: 10.22038/ijn.2025.83908.2617