The goal is to analyze various aspects of the intervention, including its target
The goal is to analyze various aspects of the intervention, including its target population, the strategies it employs to create change, the research methods used to study its effectiveness, and potential barriers to widespread incorporation.
Step 1: Find an intervention to evaluate.
If you already know what you’d like to learn more about, you may do so by searching keywords you’re interested in (for example, “school lunch programs and childhood obesity”) into a PubMed or Library search. This will likely yield lots of studies on the topic. Try to choose on that is recent, published within the last 10 years. Google searches may lead you to news articles reporting on successful interventions. You may use these articles to find the original research papers published showing the intervention efficacy.
If you’d like some inspiration, here are a few reviews and meta analyses (studies of studies) which collectively evaluate the effectiveness of interventions to come up with consensus statements on their efficacy.
Salam, R. A., Padhani, Z. A., Das, J. K., Shaikh, A. Y., Hoodbhoy, Z., Jeelani, S. M., Lassi, Z. S., & Bhutta, Z. A. (2020). Effects of Lifestyle Modification Interventions to Prevent and Manage Child and Adolescent Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients, 12(8), 2208. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12082208
Pereira, A. R., & Oliveira, A. (2021). Dietary Interventions to Prevent Childhood Obesity: A Literature Review. Nutrients, 13(10), 3447. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13103447
Lambrinou, C. P., Androutsos, O., Karaglani, E., Cardon, G., Huys, N., Wikström, K., Kivelä, J., Ko, W., Karuranga, E., Tsochev, K., Iotova, V., Dimova, R., De Miguel-Etayo, P., M González-Gil, E., Tamás, H., Jancsó, Z., Liatis, S., Makrilakis, K., Manios, Y., & Feel4Diabetes-study group (2020). Effective strategies for childhood obesity prevention via school based, family involved interventions: a critical review for the development of the Feel4Diabetes-study school based component. BMC endocrine disorders, 20(Suppl 2), 52. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12902-020-0526-5
Lim, C. S., Robinson, J., Hinton, E., Gordy, X. Z., Gamble, A., Compretta, C., Holmes, M. E., & Ravola, M. (2022). School-based obesity prevention programs in rural communities: a scoping review. JBI evidence synthesis, 20(12), 2936–2985. https://doi.org/10.11124/JBIES-21-00233
Step 2: Make your PAper.
Write a 1-2 page paper addressing following questions (when applicable):
Target Population:What specific population is targeted by this intervention? Is it aimed at a particular age group, socioeconomic background, or demographic?
Change Strategies:How does this intervention attempt to create behavioral change? Does it focus on increasing access to healthier options, providing education and information, limiting access to unhealthy choices, or reducing exposure to harmful influences?
Study Methods and Results:How was the intervention studied to assess its effectiveness? Were randomized controlled trials (RCTs), observational studies, or other research methods employed?
What were the results of the intervention? Did it lead to a reduction in childhood obesity rates, improved health outcomes, or changes in behavior?
Widespread Incorporation:What steps do you believe would be necessary for the widespread incorporation of this intervention into public health programs or school curricula?
What obstacles or challenges do you suspect could hinder the adoption and implementation of this intervention on a larger scale? (e.g., cost, resistance to change, cultural factors, policy barriers)
Sustainability and Long-Term Impact:How can the intervention be sustained over the long term to ensure continued effectiveness?
What are the potential long-term impacts of this intervention on the health and well-being of the targeted population?