From: The effectiveness of interventions to change six health behaviours: a review of reviews
Health Behaviour | Population | Intervention | Exclusions | Outcomes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Smoking | Smokers Those with raised risk (e.g. pregnant women) General population | Interventions with a behavioural or educational component; advertising/media campaign; smoke free policies; other (to promote the outcomes) | Nicotine replacement therapy; other drug therapies; acupuncture; interventions aimed at treatment of smoking-related illness | Change in behaviours Smoking cessation; smoking prevention |
Physical activity | Those with raised risk (e.g. overweight, sedentary or pregnant) General population | Interventions with a behavioural or educational component; advertising/media campaign; other (to promote the outcomes) | Interventions aimed at treating health problems (e.g. arthritis, back pain and intermittent claudication) | Change in behaviours Prevention of health problems related to sedentary lifestyle; increased uptake of exercise; increase in exercise levels |
Alcohol misuse | Problem drinkers Those with raised risk (e.g. pregnant women) General population | Interventions with a behavioural or educational component; advertising/media campaign; interventions to reduce drink driving; other (to promote the outcomes) | Programmes to maintain abstinence; reviews of those with alcohol dependence | Change in behaviours Prevent/reduce alcohol consumption; prevent/reduce drink driving; promote moderate drinking |
Diet | General population | Interventions with a behavioural or educational component; advertising/media campaign; Must have the aim of promoting healthy eating, rather than solely focussing on weight loss; | Interventions aiming only to reduce risk factors (blood pressure; hypertension); population with a chronic disease (e.g. those with diabetes or heart disease) Weight loss diets without a behavioural/educational component | Change in behaviours Dietary change |
Illicit drug use | General population | Interventions with a behavioural or educational component; advertising/media campaign; other (to promote the outcomes) | Interventions aimed at illicit drug misusers (i.e. those with a dependency on illicit drugs) | Change in behaviours Prevention of illicit drug use |
Sexual risk taking in young people | Young people | Interventions with a behavioural or educational component; advertising/media campaign; other (to promote the outcomes) | Interventions aimed at sexual risk takers (e.g. treatments for STIs; pregnancy counselling) | Change in behaviours Reduction of sexual risk taking; reduction of STDs; reduction of teenage pregnancy rates |