Promising Practices
The Promising Practices database informs professionals and community members about documented approaches to improving community health and quality of life.
The ultimate goal is to support the systematic adoption, implementation, and evaluation of successful programs, practices, and policy changes. The database provides carefully reviewed, documented, and ranked practices that range from good ideas to evidence-based practices.
Learn more about the ranking methodology.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Prevention & Safety, Adults
Public health benefits of ignition interlock interventions are currently limited by the small proportion of offenders who install interlocks in their vehicles. More widespread and sustained use of interlocks among this population could have a greater impact on alcohol-related crashes.
Filed under Good Idea, Environmental Health / Air
The goal of Clear the Air Utah is to improve the air quality in Utah.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Children's Health, Children
The goal of Color Me Healthy is to promote and encourage physical activity and healthy eating among children ages four and five.
The program has had a positive impact on children's knowledge of and participation in physical activity. Similarly, it has had a positive impact on children's ability to recognize and their willingness to try fruits and vegetables. It has also increased children's fruit/vegetable snack consumption.
Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Toxins & Contaminants, Children, Teens, Adults
To restore the Elizabeth River to the highest practical level of environmental quality through government, business and community partnerships.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Family Planning, Teens
The goal of this program is to decrease pregnancy in adolescent and teenage girls.
Those who participated in one or more program components were significantly less likely to experience pregnancy than nonparticipants (5.9% vs 12.3%). Those who participated in two or more program components were significantly less likely to engage in sexual intercourse without birth control than those who participated in only a single program component (8.9% vs 20.6%).
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Physical Activity, Children
The goal of the HOPS program was to improve overall health status and academic achievement using replicable strategies.
The HOPS intervention helped students who qualified for free or reduced price meals both stay within the normal BMI percentile and score higher on their state math achievement test.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Cancer, Women, Men, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban
The goal of this intervention was to increase colorectal cancer screening among an Asian American population.
A multicomponent intervention, including an educational session, can increase colorectal screening rates among Filipino Americans, even without the distribution of free fecal occult blood test kits.
Filed under Good Idea, Environmental Health / Built Environment, Children, Teens, Adults, Women, Men, Older Adults, Families
The goal of the Keystone Forest Preserve is to preserve the land from being developed, protect its unique ecosystems, and serve as an outdoor space for visitors to enjoy and a beautiful setting for Highway 412.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Teens
The goal of this program is to reduce the use of cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana among adolescents.
Evaluations of the project showed that there was a smaller increase in students who intend to use cigarettes, alcohol, and tobacco within the upcoming months and that there were significant effects on the proportion of students reporting the use of cigarettes, alcohol, and tobacco.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Physical Activity, Children
The goal of the MEND program is to reduce obesity levels in children by offering free healthy living programs that aim to encourage small lifestyle changes that improve health.
The MEND program was successful in reducing waist circumferences and BMI scores while increasing cardiovascular fitness, physical activity, and self esteem in children placed within the intervention group. The results of this study suggest that the MEND program is a promising intervention to combat rising child obesity rates.