Skip to main content

Population Health Intervention Research: A Fundamental Science for NCD Prevention

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Book cover Global Handbook on Noncommunicable Diseases and Health Promotion
  • 2896 Accesses

Abstract

Critically examining the example of tobacco prevention and based on the theoretical propositions of the ecological models, this chapter suggests that noncommunicable disease prevention interventions may have impacts that go much beyond the intended changes in the prevalence of risk factors. Because their efficacy is related to interactions with implementation context, sustainable prevention interventions need to be implemented by regular service delivery systems instead of research-oriented systems. As a domain of scientific inquiries, population health intervention research aims at producing the necessary knowledge to inform service delivery systems about what in complex interventions is likely to reduce the prevalence of NCED risk factors, for whom, and in which conditions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Altman, D. G. (1995). Sustaining interventions in community systems: On the relationship between researchers and communities. Health Psychology, 14, 526–536.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barbeau, E. M., Krieger, N., & Soobader, M. J. (2004). Working class matters: Socioeconomic disadvantage, race/ethnicity, gender, and smoking in NHIS 2000. American Journal of Public Health, 94(2), 269–278.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, D. T. (1969). Reforms as experiments. American Psychologist, 24(4), 409–429.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, D. T. (1991). Methods for the experimenting society. American Journal of Evaluation, 12, 223–260.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clavier, C., Gendron, S., Lamontagne, L., & Potvin, L. (2012a). Understanding similarities in the local implementation of a healthy environment programme: Insights from the policy studies. Social Science & Medicine, 75, 171–178.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clavier, C., Sénéchal, Y., Vibert, S., & Potvin, L. (2012b). A theory-based model of translation practices in public health participatory research. Sociology of Health & Illness, 34, 791–805.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • COMMIT Research Group. (1995). Community intervention trial for smoking cessation: II. Changes in adult cigarette smoking prevalence. American Journal of Public Health, 85, 193–200.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Corrigan, M., Cupples, M. E., Smith, S. M., Byrne, M., Leathem, C. S., Clerkin, P., et al. (2006). The contribution of qualitative research to designing a complex intervention for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease in two different health care systems. BMC Health Services Research. doi:10.1186/1472-6963-6-90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dahlgren, G., & Whitehead, M. (1991). Policies and strategies to promote social equity in health. Stockholm: Institute of Futures Studies.

    Google Scholar 

  • Egan, M., Bambra, C., Petticrew, M., & Whitehead, M. (2009). Reviewing evidence on complex social interventions: Appraising implementation in systematic reviews of health effects of organizational-level workplace interventions. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 63, 4–11.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ezzati, M., & Lopez, A. D. (2003). Estimates of global mortality attributable to smoking in 2000. The Lancet, 362, 847–852.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fisher, E. B. (1995). Editorial: The results of the COMMIT Trial. American Journal of Public Health, 85, 159–160.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ford, E. S., Ajani, U. A., Croft, J. B., Critchley, J. A., Labarthe, D. R., Kottke, T. E., et al. (2007). Explaning the decrease in U.S. deaths from coronary heart disease, 1980–2000. The New England Journal of Medicine, 356, 2388–2398.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fortmann, S. P., Flora, J. A., Winkleby, M. A., Schooler, C., Barr Taylor, C., & Farquhar, J. W. (1995). Community intervention trials: Reflections on the Stanford five-city project. American Journal of Epidemiology, 142, 576–596.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frohlich, K. (2008). Is tobacco use a disease? CMAJ, 179, 880–882.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fuller, D., & Potvin, L. (2012). Context by treatment interactions as the primary object of study in cluster randomized controlled trials of population health interventions. International Journal of Public Health, 57, 633–636.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gilmore, A. B., & McKee, M. (2004). Moving East: How the transnational tobacco industry gained entry to the emerging markets of the former Soviet Union—Part 1: Establishing cigarette imports. Tobacco Control, 13, 143–150.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Government Office of Science. (2007). Foresight. Tacling obesities: Future choices—Project report. London, UK: UK Governmennt’s Foresight Programme. Accessed October 2012, from http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/foresight/docs/obesity/17.pdf

  • Green, L. W. (2006). Public health asks of systems science: To advance our evidence-based practice, can you help us get more practice-based evidence? American Journal of Public Health, 96, 406–409.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Green, L. W., & Glasgow, R. E. (2006). Evaluating the relevance, generalization, and applicability of research. Evaluation and the Health Profession, 29, 126–153.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Green, L. W., Richard, L., & Potvin, L. (1996). Ecological foundations of health promotion. American Journal of Health Promotion, 10(4), 270–281.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hawe, P., & Potvin, L. (2009). What is population health intervention research? Canadian Journal of Public Health, 100(1), I8–I14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hawe, P., Shiell, A., & Riley, T. (2004). Complex interventions: How “out of control” can a randomised controlled trial be? British Medical Journal, 328, 1561–1563.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hawe, P., Shiell, A., & Riley, T. (2009). Theorising interventions as events in systems. American Journal of Community Psychology, 43, 267–276.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hopkins, D. P., Briss, P. A., Ricard, C. J., Husten, C. G., Carande-Kulis, V. G., Fielding, J. E., et al. (2001). Reviews of evidence regarding intervention to reduce tobacco used and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 20(2S), 16–66.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Institute of Medicine. (2002). The future of the public’s health in the 21st century. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Institute of Medicine. (2012). An integrated framework for assessing the value of community-based prevention. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jha, P. (2009). Avoidable global cancer deaths and total deaths from smoking. Nature Reviews. Cancer, 9, 655–664.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Krieger, N. (1994). Epidemiology and the web of causation: Has anyone seen the spider? Social Science & Medicine, 39, 887–903.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Krieger, N. (2008). Proximal, distal and the politics of causation: What’s level got to do with it? American Journal of Public Health, 98, 221–230.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, S., Ling, P. M., & Glantz, S. A. (2012). The vector of tobaaco epidemic: Tobbacco industry practices in low and middle-income countries. Cancer Causes & Control, 23, 117–129.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luepker, R. V., Murray, D. M., Jacobs, D. R., Mittlemark, M. B., Bracht, N., Carlaw, R., et al. (1994). Community education for cardiovascular disease prevention: Risk factor changes in the Minnesota Heart Health Program. American Journal of Public Health, 84, 1383–1393.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Macintyre, S. (2011). Good intentions and received wisdom are not good enough: The need for controlled trials in public health. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 65(7), 564–567.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mackenbach, J. P., & Stronks, K. (2004). The development of a strategy for tackling health inequalities in the Netherlands. International Journal for Equity in Health, 3, 11. doi:10.1186/1475-9276-3-11.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McGinnis, J. M., & Foege, W. H. (1994). Actual causes of death in the United States. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 270, 2207–2212.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McLaren, L., & Hawe, P. (2005). Ecological perspectives in health research. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 59(1), 6–14.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McQueen, D. V. (2007). Critical issues in theory for health promotion. In D. V. McQueen, I. Kickbusch, L. Potvin, J. M. Pelikan, L. Balbo, & T. Abel (Eds.), Health & modernity. The role of theory in health promotion (pp. 21–42). New York, NY: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Mokdad, A. H., Marks, J. S., Stroup, D. F., & Gerberding, J. L. (2004). Actual causes of death in the United States, 2000. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 291(10), 1238–1245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morabia, A., & Costanza, M. C. (2012). Population health intervention research (PHIR): Should we fear the “P”? Preventive Medicine, 54, 291–292.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • O’Connor, A. (1995). Evaluating comprehensive community initiatives: A view from history. In I. J. P. Connell, A. C. Kubisch, L. B. Schorr, & C. H. Weiss (Eds.), New approaches to evaluating community intiatives. Concepts, methods, and contexts (pp. 23–63). New York, NY: The Aspen Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • OECD. (2009). Tobacco consumption among adults. In Health at a glance 2009: OECD indicators. Paris: OECD Publishing. Downloaded in May 2013, from: http://www.oecd.org/health/health-systems/44117530.pdf

  • Perry, C. L., Stone, E. J., Parcel, G. S., Ellison, R. C., Nader, P. R., Webber, L. S., et al. (1990). School-based cardiovascular health promotion: The child and adolescent trial for cardiovascular health (CATCH). Journal of School Health, 60(8), 406–413.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Poland, B., Frohlich, K. L., & Cargo, M. (2008). Context as a fundamental dimension of health promotion program evaluation. In L. Potvin & D. V. McQueen (Eds.), Health promotion evaluation practice in the America: Research and values (pp. 300–317). New York, NY: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Potvin, L., Bilodeau, A., & Gendron, S. (2012). Trois conceptions de la nature des programmes: Implications pour l’évaluation de programmes complexes en santé publique. The Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation, 26, 91–104.

    Google Scholar 

  • Potvin, l., Gendron, S., Bilodeau, A., & Chabot, P. (2005). Integrating social science theory into public health practice. American Journal of Public Health, 95, 591–595.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Potvin, L., & Bisset, S. L. (2008). There is more to methodology than method. In L. Potvin & D. V. McQueen (Eds.), Health promotion evaluation practices in the Americas: Values and research (pp. 63–80). New York, NY: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Potvin, L., Bisset, S. L., & Walz, L. (2010). Participatory action research: Theoretical perspectives on the challenges of research action. In I. Bourgeault, L. Dingwall, & R. De Vries (Eds.), The Sage handbook of qualitative methods in health research (pp. 433–453). London, UK: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Potvin, L., Haddad, S., & Frohlich, K. L. (2001). Beyond process and outcome evaluation: A comprehensive approach for evaluating health promotion program. In I. Rootman, B. Hyndman, M. Goodstadt, D. V. McQueen, L. Potvin, J. Sprengett, & E. Ziglio (Eds.), Health promotion evaluation: Principles and perspectives (European Series, Vol. 92, pp. 45–62). Copenhague: WHO Regional Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Potvin, L., & McQueen, D. V. (2008). Practical dilemmas for health promotion evaluation. In L. Potvin & D. V. McQueen (Eds.), Health promotion evaluation practices in the Americas: Values and research (pp. 25–45). New York, NY: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Proctor, R. N. (2004). The global smoking epidemic: A history and status report. Clinical Lung Cancer, 5, 371–376.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Richard, L., Gauvin, L., & Raine, K. (2011). Ecological models revisited: Their uses and evolution in health promotion over two decades. Annual Review of Public Health, 32(32), 307–326.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Richard, L., Potvin, L., Kishchuk, N., Prlic, H., & Green, L. W. (1996). Assessment of the integration of the ecological approach in health promotion programs. American Journal of Health Promotion, 10(4), 318–328.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rose, G. (1992). The strategy of preventive medicine. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruetten, A., & Gelius, P. (2011). The interplay of structure and agency in health promotion: Integrating a concept of structural change and the policy dimension into a multi-level model and applying it to health promotion principles and practice. Social Science & Medicine, 73, 953–959.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sackett, D. L. (2002). Clinical epidemiology: What, who, and wither. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 55, 1161–1166.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sackett, D. L., Haynes, R. B., & Tugwell, P. (1985). Cinical epidmiology; a basic science for clinical medicine (1st ed.). Boston, MA: Little Brown.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schaap, M. M., Kunst, A. E., Leinsalu, M., Regidor, E., Ekholm, O., Dzurova, D., et al. (2008). Effect of nationwide tobacco control policies on smoking cessation in high and low educated groups in 18 European countries. Tobacco Control, 17, 248–255.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smedley, B. D., & Syme, S. L. (2000). Promoting health: Intervention strategies from social and behavioral research. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stokols, D. (1996). Translating social ecological theory into guidelines for community health promotion. American Journal of Health Promotion, 10(4), 282–298.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Trickett, E. J. (2009). Community psychology: individuals and interventions in community context. Annual Review of Psychology, 60, 395–419.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Unal, B., Critchley, J. A., & Capewell, S. (2003). Impact of smoking reduction on coronary heart disease mortality trends during 1981–2000 in England and Wales. Tobacco Induced Diseases, 1(3), 185–196.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • US Department of Health, Education and Welfare. (1964). Smoking and health. Report of the Advisory Committee to the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office. Obtained in October 2012, from http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/ps/access/NNBBMQ.pdf

  • Viswanathan, M., Ammerman, A., Eng, E., Garlehner, G., Lohr, K. N., Girffith, D. et al. (2004). Community based participatory research: Assessing the evidence. Evidence report/Technology Assessment No 99. AHRQ Publication 04-E022-2. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wagner, E. H., Wickizer, T. M., Cheadle, A., Psaty, B. M., Koepsell, T. D., Diehr, P., et al. (2000). The Kaiser Family Foundation community health promotion grant program: Findings from an outcome evaluation. Health Services Research, 35, 561–589.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • WHO. (2008). Closing the gap in a generation: Health equity through action on the social determinants of health. Geneva: World Health Organization.

    Google Scholar 

  • WHO. (2012a). The tobacco free initiative. Downloaded in August 2012, from www.who.int/tobacco/en/

  • WHO. (2012b). MPOWER brochures and other resources. Downloaded in August 2012, from www.who.int/tobacco/mpower/publications/en/index.html

  • WHO and the Government of Southern Australia. (2010). Adelaide statement on health in all policies: Moving towards a shared governance for health and well-being. Downloaded in September 2012, from www.who.int/social_determinants/hiap_statement_who_sa_final.pdf

  • Wickizer, T. M., Wagner, E., Cheadle, A., Pearson, D., Beery, W., Maeser, J., et al. (1998). Implementation of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation’s Community Health Promotion Grant Program: a process evaluation. The Milbank Quarterly, 76(1), 121–147.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Louise Potvin .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Potvin, L. (2013). Population Health Intervention Research: A Fundamental Science for NCD Prevention. In: McQueen, D. (eds) Global Handbook on Noncommunicable Diseases and Health Promotion. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7594-1_13

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7594-1_13

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-7593-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-7594-1

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics