The HI-5 Interventions

Access to Clean Syringes: Policies that support access to clean needles and syringes allow pharmacies to sell them without prescriptions and/or public health departments to authorize and conduct programs distributing clean needles and syringes and safely disposing of used ones. Evidence demonstrates that these policies, laws, and regulations are associated with reductions in the prevalence and incidence of HIV and HCV among persons who inject drugs.

Motorcycle Injury Prevention: Universal motorcycle helmet laws require all motorcycle riders, both drivers and passengers, to wear a helmet when riding on public roads. States with universal laws consistently experience higher rates of helmet use and lower rates of motorcycle-related deaths and injuries.

Multi-Component Worksite Obesity Prevention: Strategies at the workplace include information and education, behavioral and social strategies, environmental components, and financial incentives. According to the results of a systematic review of a large number of studies, worksite obesity prevention programs are associated with reductions in BMI and support weight loss among employees.

Pricing Strategies for Alcohol Products: Evidence shows that raising the price of alcohol products is associated with reductions in alcohol consumption and related harms, including sexual violence and motor vehicle crashes and fatalities.

Safe Routes to School (SRTS): SRTS is a comprehensive approach that encourages students and their families to walk, bike, or use other forms of active transportation to commute to and from school. It combines programmatic approaches like bicycle safety education, walking school buses, and increased traffic enforcement with infrastructure improvements such as sidewalks, crosswalks, and lighting to ensure safe conditions for walking and biking. The evidence demonstrates that SRTS is associated with increases in the number of students who walk and bike to and from school. There is also evidence that SRTS reduces the risk of injury from traffic collisions involving pedestrians and bicyclists.

School-Based Programs to Increase Physical Activity: The goal of these school-based programs is to increase physical activity during the times children are on school grounds before, during, and after classes. The programs can expand and enhance existing physical education programs and incorporate physical activities into academic classroom settings. Evidence demonstrates that these programs are associated with increases in student physical activity and have positive effects on BMI and obesity prevention.

School-Based Violence Prevention: Universal school-based violence prevention programs provide students and school staff with information about violence, change how youth think and feel about violence, and enhance interpersonal and emotional skills such as communication and problem-solving, empathy, and conflict management. These approaches are typically delivered to all students in a particular grade or school. A systematic review found that universal school-based violence prevention programs were associated with reductions in youth violence in all types of school environments, regardless of grade level, socioeconomic status, crime rate, and predominant race/ethnicity of students. The evidence also shows that specific programs have been associated with reductions in delinquency, alcohol and substance abuse, and improvements in academic performance.

Tobacco Control Interventions: Effective tobacco control interventions include tobacco price increases, high-impact anti-tobacco mass media campaigns, and comprehensive smoke-free laws. Evidence has shown a 20 percent increase in the unit price of tobacco can reduce the number of young people who started smoking, can increase quitting among young people and adults ages 30 and older, and can reduce tobacco use and demand. High-impact anti-tobacco mass-media campaigns, which target large audiences through television and radio broadcasts, print media (e.g., newspaper), and digital media to change knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors regarding tobacco, have been shown to reduce adult tobacco use and promote tobacco cessation, as well as prevent tobacco use initiation among youth. Comprehensive smoke-free laws that prohibit smoking in all indoor areas of workplaces, bars, and restaurants are associated with reductions in exposure to secondhand smoke and improvements in short and long-term health outcomes, including reduced hospitalizations for asthma and heart attacks.