Assessing public health intervention practices in a Danish municipality: applying criteria based on the European Community Health Promotion Indicator Development (EUHPID) model.

AIM

To develop a set of assessment criteria and assess public health interventions at municipal level in Denmark using the European Community Health Promotion Indicator Development (EUHPID) model to support more effective planning and funding allocation in public health.

METHODS

Based on knowledge synthesis, a set of assessment criteria were developed to classify interventions into the four types of public health provided by the EUHPID model: health promotion, health protection, disease prevention, and health care. Information was then collected on all current public health interventions in Varde Municipality within a 3-month period in spring 2009. Finally, the interventions were categorised using the developed assessment criteria.

RESULTS

The knowledge synthesis process resulted in the development of a set of assessment criteria and the 154 reported public health interventions were divided into relevant types using these criteria. 57% of the interventions were based on a salutogenic health promotion approach, 33% on a pathogenic disease prevention approach, 10% on the pathogenic health protection approach, and 0% on the pathogenic health care approach.

CONCLUSIONS

The assessment criteria based on the EUHPID model can be useful and have wider global significance for planning public health interventions, allocating appropriate funding to support public health interventions, and thereby encouraging and supporting more effective intersectoral working practices.