Relevance for Public Health

The multiple intervention program toolkit and related website were created specifically for public health. This dissemination and evaluation tool was created to support public health practitioners and decision-makers to strategically develop and evaluate MIPs. While this tool was developed for the Ontario public health system, its ideas, examples and activities are relevant to anyone involved in designing, implementing or evaluating community health or health-promotion programs. This tool can be used for any type of public health context.

Description

This interactive dissemination and application tool was created to help plan and evaluate multiple intervention programs (MIPs) using a systematic approach. MIPs contain coordinated, interconnected interventions at more than one level of the socio-ecological system. These interventions are based on a socio-ecological model that considers health to be influenced at various levels such as individual, community, organizational, social or political. MIPs deploy many strategies using a number of channels and can target individuals, groups, communities, organizations and policies. An example of an MIP would be a public health program related to childhood obesity prevention with interventions and activities provided through different departments in the public health organization and local community partners. (A program that has more than one intervention in one socio-ecological level or has one intervention for multiple target groups would not be considered an MIP.) The program aims to reduce childhood obesity by advocating at the political level for legislation that bans the use of trans-fats in processed foods, at the community level with physical education activities, and at the individual level to teach children about healthy eating and physical activity. No information is available regarding the evaluation for this interactive website. New features for the MIP Toolkit are currently being developed and will be available in the summer of 2009.

This interactive tool can be used by public health practitioners, program planners, decision-makers, policy-makers or partner stakeholders to plan and evaluate multiple intervention programs.

The Tool Kit website is modular and designed so that each section can be used independently. It is recommended that first-time users read through all of the content regarding MIPs. The site is composed of four interactive modules that form an overall MIP framework. The Multiple Intervention Program Tool Kit website (www.miptoolkit.com) can be used to: 1) Assess whether the program is a multiple intervention program through reading frequently asked questions, reviewing modules and activities; 2) View an introductory video about using the MIP Tool Kit website; 3) Complete modules designed to help plan and evaluate MIPs with case examples related to public health; 4) Download and carry out activities related to the cycles of planning and evaluating MIPs in public health; 5) Find and use resources such as a logic model and operational plan templates, 6) Create a “my MIP” area to track progress and store documents related to the modules and activities; 7) Participate in knowledge exchange opportunities such as scheduled fireside chats.

Dr. Nancy Edwards, Jo-Anne MacDonald, Mechthild Meyer, Alma Estable, Dr. Lynne MacLean, and Lynda Zimmerman.

The MIP Tool Kit website was developed from the multiple interventions framework. The MIP Tool Kit was developed through funding provided by the Government of Ontario to the Community Health Research Unit, as part of a Health System-Linked Research grant.

For general questions: Dr. Lynne MacLean Roger-Guindon Hall, University of Ottawa 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5 Telephone: 613-562-5800 x8024 Email: lynne.maclean@uottawa.ca For technical questions: Arturo Hernandez 200 Promenade du Portage, Suite 78123 Gatineau, QC, J8X 4H4 Telephone: 1-866-901-1052 Website: www.ihotweb.com Email: arturo.hernandez@ihotweb.com

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