Community Intervention Resources
After learning about the science of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) for the first time, many communities wonder what they can do to improve their community's health. While this research has progressed over the past two decades, we are just beginning to develop community-based interventions fully utilizing this science as a framework. However, many of the supporting principles of this science have been used to develop programs and policies supporting community health.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation developed the What Works for Health menu of evidence-based programs and policies. The Moore Institute used this database to identify interventions appropriate for communities interested in implementing a community-based project utilizing DOHaD concepts. These programs and policies are grouped into categories to offer communities some guidance in moving forward with an intervention that is not only an appropriate fit, but also has evidence to back its effectiveness. More information about the methods the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation used to determine these rankings as well as a wealth of resources available to communities ready take action to improve their health are available on their website.
Much of the work of the Moore Institute uses the Social Ecological Model of health promotion, which recognizes the dynamic interplay between the individual, family, organization and broader environment in shaping health. We further identified where each of the interventions fits with the model so communities can see how interventions at one level will influence, and be influenced by, work at the other levels. Each intervention is labeled with one or more of the following:
(IND) Individual
(IP) Interpersonal
(ORG) Organizational
(COMM) Community
(POL) Policy
Interventions list
Scientific Evidence
(IND) Breastfeeding promotion
(COMM) Competitive pricing for healthy foods
(ORG) Nutrition and physical activity
interventions in preschool and child care school breakfast programs
(ORG) School nutrition standards
(ORG) Worksite obesity prevention interventions
Some Supported Scientific Evidence
(COMM) Community kitchens for food processing(ORG) Farm to school programs
(ORG) Fruit and vegetable taste testing
(ORG) Healthy school lunch initiatives
(ORG) Point of purchase prompts for healthy foods
(POL) Restaurant nutrition labeling
(ORG) School food and beverage restrictions
(ORG) School based nutrition education programs
(POL) Sugar sweetened beverage tax
(POL) Unhealthy snack tax
(ORG/POL) Water availability and promotion interventions
(COMM) WIC and senior farmers' market nutrition programs
(ORG) Workplace supports for breastfeeding
Expert Opinion
(COMM) Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
(COMM) Community weight loss challenges
(COMM) EBT payment at farmers markets
(COMM) Fruit and vegetable gleaning initiatives
(COMM) Food buying clubs and co-ops
(COMM) Mobile markets
(COMM) New grocery stores in underserved areas
(COMM) Nutrition prescriptions
(ORG) School fundraiser restrictions
(COMM) Urban agriculture
(POL) Zoning regulations for fast food
Insufficient Evidence
Scientifically Supported
(ORG) Active recess
(COMM) Community fitness programs
(COMM) Community-based social support for physical activity
(IND) Exercise prescription
(ORG) Extracurricular activities for physical activity
(COMM) Safe routes to school
(COMM) Places for physical activity
(ORG) Physically active classrooms
(COMM) Walking schools buses
Some Evidence
(COMM) Bicycle
paths, lanes and tracks
(COMM) Community wide physical activity campaigns
(IP) Family-based physical activity interventions
(COMM) Green space and parks
Expert Opinion
(COMM) Open Streets
Scientifically Supported
(IND) Breastfeeding promotional
programs
(IP) Centering pregnancy
(ORG) Chicago Parent Child Centers- preschool education
(COMM) Early Head Start (EHS)
(COMM) Group based
parenting programs
(IP) Kinship foster
care for children in the child welfare system
(IND/IP) Multi-component
interventions: pregnancy and STIs
(IP) Nurse family partnership - Providing home visiting services to low
income, first time mothers and their babies
Some Evidence
(IND) Father
involvement programs
(IP) Healthy Family
America (HFA)- home visiting services to families at risk for adverse childhood experiences
(ORG) Workplace
supports for breast feeding
Expert Opinion
(IND) Grady Memorial Hospital interpregnancy care program - care and education program for women who delivered a very low birthweight baby
(IND) Magnolia
Project Provide prenatal and inter-conception care,
family planning, and case management services, and group based education to
eligible women via Healthy Start
Insufficient Evidence
(IP) Birthing Project SisterFriends - volunteer effort that build one-on-one supportive relationships between pregnant women of color and other women of color in the community
(IND) Healthy Births
for Healthy Communities
(IND) National
Fatherhood Initiative's 24/7 Dad
(ORG) On-site child care
Scientifically Supported
(POL) Child care subsidies
(POL) Earned income tax credit
(POL) Full child
support pass-through and disregard- Adopt policies that allow
custodial parents who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to
collect all child support paid by the non-custodial parent; no portion is
retained by the state
(POL) Paid family
leave
(POL) Paid sick leave
laws
Some Evidence
(POL) Inclusionary
zoning
(POL) Living Wage
Laws
Expert Opinion
(POL) Affordable housing tax increment
financing (TIF)
(POL) Child tax credit expansion
(POL) Low income
housing tax credits (LIHTCs)
(POL) Refundable
child and dependent care tax credit
Insufficient Evidence
Success stories
The Moore Institute works to highlight groups around Oregon and beyond that have worked to implement a program or policy related to the science of DOHaD to improve the health of their community. Check out a couple of articles below, or let us know if you work with an organization that might be a good fit to profile here.