[Workplace health promotion: evaluation of evidence of efficacy and methodological recommendations].
BACKGROUND
During the period 2004-2007 five Italian regions in cooperation with the Universities of Pavia and Perugia and the Italian Cochrane Centre carried out a research project on health promotion programmes.


OBJECTIVE
Evaluation of efficacy of health education programmes developed by the Local Health Units from 2000 to 2004.


RESULTS
Analysis of 69 of health promotion programmes and 23 Cochrane reviews led to establishing recommendations for health operators; at the workplace the efficacious actions were: to encourage consumption of healthy food (also via automatic distributors of fruit and vegetable snacks) and physical activity, guarantee observance of the smoking ban and/or offer assistance to quit smoking.


CONCLUSIONS
Health promotion projects involve the use of public resources so it is necessary that the potential impact and efficacy be evaluated in the planning process. In particular, it is advisable to examine the data in the literature and assign preference to projects that have proved efficacious.
Pavan
Anna
A
Direzione Generale Sanità, Regione Lombardia, Milano. anna_pavan@regione.lombardia.it
Pirola
Maria Elena
ME
Bonfanti
Marina
M
Coppola
Liliana
L
Macchi
L
L
D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D016272:Occupational Health; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards; D017132:Workplace