A Guide to Evidence-Based Programs for Adolescent Health: Programs, Tools, and More
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The National Adolescent and Young Adult Health Information Center presents A Guide to Evidence-Based Programs for Adolescent Health: Programs, Tools, and More August 2014 Introduction become stricter in areas such as study design (e.g., The past decade has witnessed a tremendous more randomized designs), sample size, effect size, expansion of research and resources on “what statistical significance and replication of findings. works” to improve adolescent health. First, there are greater numbers of programs that focus on Evidence-based programs represent the “gold changing the contexts in which adolescents live, standard” along a continuum of what research such as families, schools and communities as well supports as effective. Many organizations also as changing the individual behavior of adolescents, offer resources on “best practices” or “promising 1 a more traditional focus. In addition, the past practices.” These terms are generally applied to decade has witnessed an increase in the creation of programs and strategies that have been evaluated “implementing tools” – tools that help program with promising findings that do not meet more managers and communities with critical program rigorous standards (e.g., programs that have some implementation tasks. Despite the greater quantitative data from non-experimental studies selection of programs and tools, this valuable showing positive outcomes in behavior or from a implementation information is single experimental study that has difficult to locate in one place. not been replicated). Sometimes This brief has two purposes. Evidence-based these terms refer to consensus First, by providing an annotated programs represent the recommendations based on list of resources with links to wisdom from professionals in the evidence-based practices, it “gold standard” along a field, who consider available data serves as a guide to communities continuum of what and information when they make and practitioners for locating research supports as recommendations or develop effective behavioral/social effective. guidelines for areas of a field interventions in adolescent without an adequate evidence health. Second, this brief also base. Many of the resources identifies “implementing tools” reviewed in this brief also contain that are available from the listed resources for best practices or promising practices. Other useful evidence-based practices. These tools serve as a resources, not reviewed in this document, offer useful starting point to help communities best practices only and/or helpful implementing implement evidence-based programs, but are not tools. intended to be an exhaustive list of all such tools. The resources on evidence-based programs use What are Evidence-Based Programs? presented use different criteria for defining As evaluation research has grown more program effectiveness. We do not endorse any sophisticated, the criteria for labeling a program as particular definition of program effectiveness in “effective” or “impactful” have become more this resource. Where possible, descriptions of rigorous. As shown in the listings on pages 7-13, resources listing evidence-based programs direct numerous researchers and organizations have the user to each organization’s definition and/or developed criteria for what qualifies as an criteria for these terms. evidence-based program. While a comprehensive review of these definitions is beyond the scope of this brief, methodological criteria have generally http://nahic.ucsf.edu/ 2 Using Evidence-Based Programs Reviewing evidence-based programs prior to Not all evidence-based programs are appropriate designing an initiative gives immediate direction to for all communities. Therefore, it is important to program planning and can help prevent balance research about what works with communities from wasting precious time and knowledge about what is feasible in specific resources on ineffective strategies. For this communities.2 Most of the resources of evidence- reason, funders increasingly place priority on using based programs described in this brief also evidence-based programs. Replicating and provide or refer users to “implementing tools.” evaluating evidence-based programs contributes These include comprehensive guidebooks and to further testing of effective strategies. For manuals (most of which are free). These example, knowledge is gained from implementing resources are noted in the resource implementation and evaluation of a program with descriptions, which usually contain links to a different population, under different conditions, downloadable documents. Although not a or with culturally appropriate modifications. comprehensive review of all implementing resources, this brief provides a useful “starter set” Limitations of Existing Evidence-Based for communities and program managers to Programs consider. These tools address many issues that Despite the greater range of evidence-based practitioners working with communities face as programs available compared to a decade ago, they design and implement evidence-based limitations remain. For example, a large and programs. These issues include: growing body of research indicates that contextual • Identification of risk and protective factors that influences, such as policies, families, schools and should be addressed (as determined by a local communities, have a tremendous influence on needs-and-assets assessment); adolescent health outcomes.3 While the body of • Selection of strategies that operate at multiple research on “what works” at community and policy levels of intervention and have been shown to levels has grown, gaps remain. Due to the greater be effective with a community’s socio- challenges inherent in measuring the impact of demographic profile; environmental change and policy-based • Adaptation of an evidence-based program, interventions, there is a greater number of while maintaining sufficient fidelity to the evidence-based programs focused on the individual original program; level of change, particularly on behavior change by • Identification of programs that are feasible adolescents. Despite the more limited research on given existing resources – financial as well as interventions beyond the individual level, local capacity and skills (e.g., communities communities may decide to pursue multi-level need to consider training and capacity building approaches. that may be necessary to replicate an evidence-based program). A community may also find that existing evidence- based programs have been demonstrated to be This brief recognizes that the identification of effective with a limited profile of socio- effective programs alone is not sufficient to ensure demographic groups and may not reflect the that programs are effectively replicated and adolescent population it serves. For example, there appropriate for a given community or setting. has been an increase in the number of programs that have demonstrated effectiveness with Latino 3 and African American youth, but less research has content areas have implications for their own involved Asian/Pacific Islanders, a population with efforts. No matter what health issue is being several distinct sub-populations. There are also few addressed, adolescents need: specific knowledge evidence-based programs for adolescents in rural regarding the issue; a specific set of skills that settings. enables them to adapt and apply that knowledge to their own behavior; motivation to use those In cases where no evidence-based programs meet skills; a family, school and community environment the needs of a community, program managers still that supports use of the requisite knowledge and have options that are supported by research. By skills; and a policy environment that provides reviewing best practices and promising practices, sufficient resources and political commitment for communities can consider what adaptations are improving adolescent health and changing social necessary to make an evidence-based program norms. more relevant to its intended audience. For example, a community coalition aiming to reduce Organization of this Brief injury among Latino youth might decide to tailor an This brief presents evidence-based program existing program for that population. It may help to resources in two formats. First, on the following research the types of interventions that have been two pages, a matrix provides an overview of the effective in reaching Latino communities in resources and includes links to each resource and general, and Latino youth in particular. It is also indicates whether it includes implementing tools. advisable for a community coalition to work with The health topics listed are adapted from the Focus parents, youth and teachers to consider what, if Areas of the Healthy People 2020 Core Indicators any, cultural adaptations are needed. When for Adolescent and Young Adult Health. tailoring interventions that have been shown to be effective, it is important to maintain a critical core Pages 7-13 of this brief present an annotated listing from the original program by staying as true as of each evidence-based program resource. Each possible to the evaluated model with respect to listing begins with a description of the topics such key factors as learning objectives, the number addressed, how the resource is organized, criteria of classroom hours, and types of activities4 – this is for inclusion as an evidence-based program and called maintaining fidelity. what search functions are available. The listing also describes implementing