Planning, Implementing and Evaluating Interventions

Careful program planning and evaluation helps professionals implement interventions effectively, continuously improve programs, and demonstrate program outcomes. It is essential to plan interventions based on the program’s objectives, community-specific needs and any information on the effectiveness of potential strategies. In addition, working with partners who will complement the program goals effectively is important. Program evaluation can be used to measure the effectiveness of new and enhanced interventions, determine whether funds and other resources are being used efficiently, and assess the appropriateness and effectiveness of recommended interventions in different settings and populations. This section provides resources and tools for professionals that are planning, implementing, and evaluating physical activity programs including information on building partnerships and engaging communities.

Planning and Implementation

CDC's Community Health Resources
Search or browse through CDC's best resources to help you plan, implement and evaluate community health interventions and programs to address chronic disease and health disparities issues. You'll find links to hundreds of useful planning guides, evaluation frameworks, communication materials, behavioral and risk factor data, fact sheets, scientific articles, key reports and state and local program contacts.

The Community Guide to Preventive Services: Physical Activity
The Community Guide's systematic review of the effectiveness of selected population based interventions designed to increase levels of physical activity focused on interventions in three areas: 1) Informational approaches to increasing physical activity; 2) Behavioral and social approaches to increasing physical activity; and 3)Environmental and policy changes to increasing physical activity.

Control PLANET
A portal that provides access to data and research-tested resources that can help planners, program staff, and researchers to design, implement, and evaluate evidence-based cancer control programs.

Health Impact Assessment
This page describes the use of Health Impact Assessment to evaluate the potential health effects of a project or policy before it is built or implemented.

Principles of Community Engagement
This resource provides public health professionals and community leaders with a science base and practical guidelines for engaging the public in community decision-making and action for health promotion, health protection, and disease prevention.

Promoting Physical Activity: A Guide for Community Action
This resource is for professionals and volunteers who wish to promote physical activity in almost any setting; community, workplace, school setting, healthcare facility, agency or organization, or religious institution. The ultimate goals of this book are to provide direction and assistance in program planning and to serve as a flexible blueprint for action for those on the frontlines of interventions in any settings.

School Health Index for Physical Activity and Healthy Eating: A Self-Assessment and Planning Guide, CDC
This Web site includes a self-assessment and planning guide that will enable schools to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their physical activity and nutrition policies and programs, develop and action plan for improving student health, and involve teachers, parents, students, and the community in improving school services.

Social Marketing Resources
Social marketing uses commercial marketing techniques to affect behavior change in individuals to promote health or improve society. These resources are for professionals who wish to use social marketing to strategically plan and implement programs. Links provide information on social marketing basics; social marketing organizations, associations, and conferences; and social marketing journals.

Walk-to-School Programs Quick Start Resource [PDF-65k]
This resource is intended to provide key references, tools, and components for the planning, implementation, evaluation, and promotion of walk-to-school programs. Nonfederal Web site addresses are provided for informational purposes only, and this listing does not imply CDC endorsement of these programs.

Worksite Walkability Audit Tool
This Web site provides a walkability audit tool designed to broadly assess pedestrian facilities, destinations, and surroundings along and near a walking route and identify specific improvements that would make the route more attractive and useful to pedestrians. Using CDC’s Walkability Audit can help you assess the safety or attractiveness of the walking routes at your worksite.

Evaluation

CDC Evaluation Working Group
This Web site provides an overview of the Framework for Program Evaluation in Public Health (MMWR September 17, 1999/48(RR11);1-40) for public health programs and additional resources that may help when applying the framework.

Physical Activity Evaluation Quick Start Resource [PDF-52k]
This resource is intended to provide key references, tools, and components for the planning, implementation, evaluation, and promotion of physical activity programs. Nonfederal Web site addresses are provided for informational purposes only, and this listing does not imply CDC endorsement of these programs.

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)
The Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT) will help school districts conduct a clear, complete, and consistent analysis of written physical education curricula, based upon national physical education standards. The PECAT is customizable to include local standards. The results from the analysis can help school districts enhance existing curricula, develop their own curricula, or select a published curriculum, for the delivery of quality physical education in schools.

Top of Page