1. Planning Health Promotion
Kok et al. (2018) week 2
Planning effective health promotion interventions requires a systematic, theory-driven
approach. The Intervention Mapping (IM) framework is one of the most widely used tools
for developing health promotion programs. It integrates theory, research, and practical
strategies into a structured process that ensures interventions are evidence-based and
culturally appropriate. IM considers the individual, organizational, and societal levels of
influence, focusing on creating sustainable change across multiple contexts.
The Six Steps of Intervention Mapping:
1. Assessment:
The first step involves identifying the health issue, its root causes, and the target
population's needs.
• Process: Conduct a thorough analysis of the health problem using theoretical
frameworks like PRECEDE-PROCEED. This assessment guides the next steps by
determining the health behaviors and environmental factors that need to be
addressed.
• Example: A program targeting childhood obesity would assess both the
prevalence of the condition and contributing factors such as poor dietary habits
and lack of physical activity in schools.
2. Matrices of Change Objectives:
This step defines specific behaviors and environmental changes that need to occur to
achieve the desired health outcomes.
• Process: Develop matrices that link each target behavior or environmental factor
with the corresponding determinants (e.g., knowledge, attitudes, social norms).
• Example: For increasing physical activity, matrices might focus on improving
children's attitudes towards exercise, enhancing parental support, and making
recreational spaces more accessible.
3. Theory-Based Methods and Strategies:
Identify the most appropriate behavioral change methods to influence the identified
determinants.
• Process: These methods could be derived from a variety of theoretical
frameworks like Social Cognitive Theory, Health Belief Model, or Transtheoretical
Model. The goal is to match strategies to the specific determinants identified in
step two.
• Example: If a key determinant of physical activity is self-efficacy, strategies such
as modeling and reinforcement may be employed to help children gain
confidence in their ability to exercise.
, 4. Program Design:
Develop the program components: materials, activities, and interventions.
• Process: This step involves converting theoretical methods into practical
components, such as health education sessions, posters, media
campaigns, or community-based interventions.
• Example: A physical activity program could include fun, interactive
lessons for children, take-home materials for parents, and promotional
campaigns to encourage neighborhood fitness events.
5. Adoption and Implementation:
Identify the key stakeholders who need to adopt and implement the intervention
(e.g., schools, healthcare providers, community organizations).
• Process: Ensuring that these stakeholders are prepared and willing to
adopt the intervention is critical. This might involve training, engaging key
influencers, and fostering partnerships.
• Example: Schools could be incentivized to participate in a childhood
obesity prevention program by offering free resources or professional
development for teachers.
6. Evaluation:
Evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention through systematic data
collection.
• Process: Monitoring and evaluation plans should be designed to assess
both the short-term and long-term effects of the intervention. Evaluation
also helps improve future program designs.
• Example: For a physical activity program, evaluations might include pre-
and post-program assessments of children's physical fitness, as well as
surveys of parents' attitudes and behaviors related to exercise.
Ecological and Multilevel Approaches:
Health promotion should consider the ecological model, which emphasizes the
interrelationship between individual behavior, community factors, and policies.
A multilevel intervention that targets individual, organizational, and societal changes is
often more effective than one that focuses only on individual-level factors.
Example: A smoking cessation program might include individual counseling, workplace
support, and policy changes that restrict smoking in public spaces.
Conclusion:
Intervention Mapping is a robust and structured approach to developing health
promotion programs that are grounded in theory, evidence, and real-world applicability.
It ensures that interventions are comprehensive, inclusive, and focused on sustainable
outcomes.
,
,
Kok et al. (2018) week 2
Planning effective health promotion interventions requires a systematic, theory-driven
approach. The Intervention Mapping (IM) framework is one of the most widely used tools
for developing health promotion programs. It integrates theory, research, and practical
strategies into a structured process that ensures interventions are evidence-based and
culturally appropriate. IM considers the individual, organizational, and societal levels of
influence, focusing on creating sustainable change across multiple contexts.
The Six Steps of Intervention Mapping:
1. Assessment:
The first step involves identifying the health issue, its root causes, and the target
population's needs.
• Process: Conduct a thorough analysis of the health problem using theoretical
frameworks like PRECEDE-PROCEED. This assessment guides the next steps by
determining the health behaviors and environmental factors that need to be
addressed.
• Example: A program targeting childhood obesity would assess both the
prevalence of the condition and contributing factors such as poor dietary habits
and lack of physical activity in schools.
2. Matrices of Change Objectives:
This step defines specific behaviors and environmental changes that need to occur to
achieve the desired health outcomes.
• Process: Develop matrices that link each target behavior or environmental factor
with the corresponding determinants (e.g., knowledge, attitudes, social norms).
• Example: For increasing physical activity, matrices might focus on improving
children's attitudes towards exercise, enhancing parental support, and making
recreational spaces more accessible.
3. Theory-Based Methods and Strategies:
Identify the most appropriate behavioral change methods to influence the identified
determinants.
• Process: These methods could be derived from a variety of theoretical
frameworks like Social Cognitive Theory, Health Belief Model, or Transtheoretical
Model. The goal is to match strategies to the specific determinants identified in
step two.
• Example: If a key determinant of physical activity is self-efficacy, strategies such
as modeling and reinforcement may be employed to help children gain
confidence in their ability to exercise.
, 4. Program Design:
Develop the program components: materials, activities, and interventions.
• Process: This step involves converting theoretical methods into practical
components, such as health education sessions, posters, media
campaigns, or community-based interventions.
• Example: A physical activity program could include fun, interactive
lessons for children, take-home materials for parents, and promotional
campaigns to encourage neighborhood fitness events.
5. Adoption and Implementation:
Identify the key stakeholders who need to adopt and implement the intervention
(e.g., schools, healthcare providers, community organizations).
• Process: Ensuring that these stakeholders are prepared and willing to
adopt the intervention is critical. This might involve training, engaging key
influencers, and fostering partnerships.
• Example: Schools could be incentivized to participate in a childhood
obesity prevention program by offering free resources or professional
development for teachers.
6. Evaluation:
Evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention through systematic data
collection.
• Process: Monitoring and evaluation plans should be designed to assess
both the short-term and long-term effects of the intervention. Evaluation
also helps improve future program designs.
• Example: For a physical activity program, evaluations might include pre-
and post-program assessments of children's physical fitness, as well as
surveys of parents' attitudes and behaviors related to exercise.
Ecological and Multilevel Approaches:
Health promotion should consider the ecological model, which emphasizes the
interrelationship between individual behavior, community factors, and policies.
A multilevel intervention that targets individual, organizational, and societal changes is
often more effective than one that focuses only on individual-level factors.
Example: A smoking cessation program might include individual counseling, workplace
support, and policy changes that restrict smoking in public spaces.
Conclusion:
Intervention Mapping is a robust and structured approach to developing health
promotion programs that are grounded in theory, evidence, and real-world applicability.
It ensures that interventions are comprehensive, inclusive, and focused on sustainable
outcomes.
,
,
