Promising Practices
The Promising Practices database informs professionals and community members about documented approaches to improving community health and quality of life.
The ultimate goal is to support the systematic adoption, implementation, and evaluation of successful programs, practices, and policy changes. The database provides carefully reviewed, documented, and ranked practices that range from good ideas to evidence-based practices.
Learn more about the ranking methodology.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Women's Health, Adults, Women, Urban
Goal: The goal of the WILLOW intervention is to provide women living with HIV/AIDS with the skills and education needed to support safer sexual decisions.
Impact: The WILLOW program succeeded in reducing the number of reported episodes of unprotected vaginal intercourse, increasing the use of condoms and condom self-efficacy, decreasing the incidence of bacterial infections (chlamydia and gonorrhea), and improving HIV knowledge.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders, Adults
Goal: The goal of the Working toward Wellness program was to encourage depressed parents who were receiving Medicaid to seek treatment from a mental health professional.
Impact: The Working toward Wellness program succeeded in increasing the likelihood that depressed Medicaid parents sought mental health services, particularly among the Hispanic population.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Physical Activity, Adults, Men
Goal: The goal of this exercise program was to reduce the incidence of diseases related to lifestyle, such as cerebrovascular diseases and ischemic heart diseases, and to preserve and promote workers' health.
Impact: The exercise program proved to be effective in increasing adaptive walking speed and in lowering waist to hip ratio.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Children's Health, Children
Goal: Youth Fit for Life aims to increase physical activity among children enrolled in after-school care programs.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Immunizations & Infectious Diseases, Teens, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Goal: The goal of Cuídate is to reduce HIV transmission among Latino youth through culturally tailored programming.
Filed under Good Idea, Health / Wellness & Lifestyle
Goal: The goal of this program is to encourage lifestyle changes that promote healthier living by promoting walking for exercise and educating participants about proper nutrition.
Filed under Good Idea, Community / Social Environment, Children, Adults, Families, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Goal: The program's primary goal is to prepare the Harvey County community for a disaster. It also seeks to increase outreach to minority communities and recruit volunteers for the MRC.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Immunizations & Infectious Diseases
Goal: The goal of this program is to reduce the mosquito population in Metro Louisville and subsequently reduce mosquito-borne disease transmission.
Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Teens
Goal: The goal of the A Matter of Degree program is to reduce student drinking and driving after drinking.
A Population Health Approach to Clinical Social Work with Complex Patients in Primary Care (Portland, Maine)
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Other Conditions
Goal: Patients with the highest medical and social vulnerability require a population-specific social work intervention in primary care to achieve positive medical outcomes and to decrease inefficient use of services, especially inpatient admissions and ED visits.
Impact: The study exhibits promise in decreasing inpatient visits and cost. The evidence also supports population-specific social work interventions integrated in primary care.