Tools for implementing an evidence-based approach in public health practice.
Increasing disease rates, limited funding, and the ever-growing scientific basis for intervention demand the use of proven strategies to improve population health. Public health practitioners must be ready to implement an evidence-based approach in their work to meet health goals and sustain necessary resources. We researched easily accessible and time-efficient tools for implementing an evidence-based public health (EBPH) approach to improve population health. Several tools have been developed to meet EBPH needs, including free online resources in the following topic areas: training and planning tools, US health surveillance, policy tracking and surveillance, systematic reviews and evidence-based guidelines, economic evaluation, and gray literature. Key elements of EBPH are engaging the community in assessment and decision making; using data and information systems systematically; making decisions on the basis of the best available peer-reviewed evidence (both quantitative and qualitative); applying program-planning frameworks (often based in health-behavior theory); conducting sound evaluation; and disseminating what is learned.
Prevention Research Center in St. Louis, Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Julie A
JA
Jacobs
Ellen
E
Jones
Barbara A
BA
Gabella
Bonnie
B
Spring
Ross C
RC
Brownson
D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D002983:Clinical Competence; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006284:Health Plan Implementation; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D015980:Public Health Practice / Q000592:standards*; D017749:Total Quality Management; D014481:United States