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.
CDC COMMUNITY GUIDE: Cancer Prevention & Control, Provider-Oriented Screening Interventions: Provider Assessment & Feedback (USA)
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Cancer, Adults
Goal: To promote screening of breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers in community and healthcare settings.
Impact: Provider assessment and feedback can improve the delivery of recommended cancer screenings in relationship to other elements of the specific health care system.
CDC COMMUNITY GUIDE: Cervical Cancer Prevention & Control, Provider-Oriented Screening Interventions: Provider Reminder & Recall Systems (USA)
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Cancer
Goal: The goal of incorporating multicomponent interventions for cancer screenings is to increase cervical cancer screenings and pap smears in communities.
Impact: Multicomponent interventions that include strategies that reduce and address structural barriers increase cervical cancer screening rates by the largest margins and evidence shows that these interventions are also cost-effective.
CDC COMMUNITY GUIDE: Colorectal Cancer Prevention & Control, Provider-Oriented Screening Interventions: Provider Reminder & Recall Systems (USA)
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Cancer
Goal: The goal of incorporating multicomponent interventions for cancer screenings is to increase colorectal cancer screenings, colonoscopies, and FOTB in communities.
Impact: Multicomponent interventions that include strategies that reduce and address structural barriers increase colorectal cancer screening rates by the largest margins and evidence shows that these interventions are also cost-effective.
CDC COMMUNITY GUIDE: Decreasing Tobacco Use Among Workers: Incentives & Competitions to Increase Smoking Cessation (USA)
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Adults
Impact: Community mobilization integrated with additional interventions (i.e. stronger local laws for retailers) decrease youth tobacco use and access to these products.
CDC COMMUNITY GUIDE: Decreasing Tobacco Use Among Workers: Smoke-Free Policies to Reduce Tobacco Use (USA)
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Alcohol & Drug Use, Adults
Impact: The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) recommends smoke-free policies to reduce secondhand smoke exposure and tobacco use on the basis of strong evidence of effectiveness. Evidence is considered strong based on results from studies that showed effectiveness of smoke‑free policies in:
Reducing exposure to secondhand smoke
Reducing the prevalence of tobacco use
Increasing the number of tobacco users who quit
Reducing the initiation of tobacco use among young people
Reducing tobacco-related morbidity and mortality, including acute cardiovascular events
Economic evidence indicates that smoke-free policies can reduce healthcare costs substantially. In addition, the evidence shows smoke-free policies do not have an adverse economic impact on businesses, including bars and restaurants.
CDC COMMUNITY GUIDE: Diabetes Prevention and Control: Case Management Interventions to Improve Glycemic Control (USA)
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Diabetes, Children, Teens, Adults, Women, Men, Families
Impact: The Community Preventive Services Task Force has found that case management helps improve glycemic control for patients with diabetes.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Diabetes
Impact: The Diabetes Community Guide can improve biological components of diabetes for those treated for either type 1 or type 2 diabetes in both community clinics and managed care organizations.
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Diabetes, Teens, Adults, Women, Men, Families, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Prevention & Safety, Children, Adults, Families
CDC COMMUNITY GUIDE: Environmental and Policy Approaches to Increase Physical Activity: Community-Scale Urban Design Land Use Policies (USA)
Filed under Evidence-Based Practice, Health / Physical Activity, Children, Teens, Adults, Women, Men, Older Adults, Families, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Impact: Design and land use policies that encourage physical activity in urban areas can help increase overall physical activity in bikers and walkers.