To give an intervention the best chance of achieving its objectives, it is necessary to:
- Link it to an overall prevention strategy
- Implement it according to a four-step approach
Taking the time needed for each step saves time during the actual implementation of the intervention and improves its effectiveness.
Here are the four steps for implementing interventions:
- Assess the situation This involves analysing the situation based on different types of data: epidemiological (what is the extent of the phenomenon the intervention targets?), sociological (how is this phenomenon perceived?), political (is there a public health plan for this phenomenon? a consensus?), behavioural (what do we know about the motivations and levers for existing behaviour and behaviour change?), contextual (what is the geographical, economic and social context of this phenomenon?) ...
- Identify the intervention type This involves choosing, from the different possible intervention types (information campaign, training, educational programme, etc.), the most appropriate for achieving the defined objectives with the available means.
- Implementing the intervention This involves defining a schedule, a budget, a team in charge of its deployment and the management procedures, identifying partners and/or service providers, promoting the project, etc.
- Evaluate the intervention This is about ensuring that the operation was properly implemented and effective.