A Tool for Rating Chronic Disease Prevention and Public Health Interventions

Bridging the gap between research and practice requires more than evaluating the effectiveness of interventions in controlled studies. To bridge this gap, evidence needs to be defined in different ways, and opportunities need to be provided for practice-based evidence to be replicated and disseminated. 

The purpose of this article is to describe an approach to identify community-based programs and interventions that have the potential for replication and dissemination. Such interventions met criteria in 3 primary domains: innovativeness, effectiveness, and sustainability. 

The criteria and tool developed were applied to 2 obesity-prevention programs to demonstrate the usefulness of the tool for identifying potential programs for replication and dissemination, contributing to practice-based evidence. Funders, practitioners, and researchers can apply these criteria to identify programs, environmental changes, or policies that may be replicated and disseminated.