Multilevel Intervention

Synonyms

Complex intervention

Definition

This term can refer to two concepts. First, a multilevel intervention (MLI) refers to addressing various risk factors in one intervention, either at the prevention stage or at the treatment stage of an illness. Second, an MLI refers to an intervention which involves several levels of people or entities such as individual patients, groups, and communities. Both definitions reflect that illnesses and health are a multifactorial problem, requiring either to modify several risk factors or to involve several levels in one’s social and health context. In coronary heart disease (CHD) prevention, the Minnesota Heart Health Project (MHHP) combined both meanings of the MLI concept. First, they aimed to conduct a lifestyle behavior change program, targeting diet, physical activity, smoking, and alcohol reduction. Second, this was achieved by involving individuals, community leaders, teachers, physicians, the media, classes, and schools. Thus, they...