Evidence-Based Practices, Programs, and Resources

These evidence-based, federal programs and resources provide tools to help you improve health and prevent disease. Each agency and organization listed below uses their own process to identify what is evidence-based but often a systematic review or a meta-analysis is used to evaluate the body of evidence in a given field. 

For examples of federal efforts to communicate to the public and promote behaviors that will improve health or prevent disease, visit our Public Health Campaigns page.

Practice Recommendations

The Guide to Community Preventive Services (The Community Guide)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
A collection of evidence-based findings and recommendations about community preventive services, programs, and policies to improve health and prevent disease within states, communities, organizations, businesses, health systems, and schools. The Community Preventive Services Task Force develops its findings using systematic reviews and information about local needs, goals, and constraints.

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) Recommendations

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Evidence-based recommendations about clinical preventive services such as screening, counseling, and preventive medications. The USPSTF assigns each recommendation a letter grade (A, B, C, D, or I – insufficient) based on the strength of the evidence and the balance of benefits and harms of a preventive service. The recommendations apply only to people who have no signs or symptoms of the specific disease or condition, and the recommendations address only services offered in the primary care setting or services referred by a primary care clinician.

Bright Futures

Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA)
Clinical guidelines for infants, children, and adolescents that are age-specific, are based on the best available scientific evidence, and help increase the quality of primary and preventive care.

Programs and Resources

Practical tools, databases, and registries developed by federal agencies to help planners, health professionals, and policymakers identify and use research findings and evidence-based prevention services in their work and communities.

Prevention TaskForce

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)
A quick, hands-on application designed to help primary care clinicians identify the screening, counseling, and preventive medication services that are appropriate for their patients. The Prevention TaskForce data is based on the current recommendations of the USPSTF. 

Healthy People 2030 Evidence-Based Resources

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Reviews of published intervention evaluations or studies that have evidence of effectiveness, feasibility, reach, sustainability, and transferability grouped by topic. Each evidence-based resource is related to one or more Healthy People 2030 objectives. 

Implementation Science Information and Resources

Fogarty International Center (FIC)
A collection of D&I-related news at Fogarty, funding opportunities, and online resources for D&I research in global health.

Innovations Exchange

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Digital forum that provides health professionals and researchers the opportunity to share, learn about, and ultimately adopt evidence-based innovations and tools suitable for a range of health care settings and populations. Includes searchable profiles of successful and attempted service delivery and policy innovations, practical tools, articles, and reports.

Evidence-Based Practices Resource Center

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Scientifically-based resources including Treatment Improvement Protocols, toolkits, resource guides, and clinical practice guidelines compiled by SAMHSA for clinicians, educators, policymakers, communities, and others in the field.

Evidence-Based Cancer Control Programs (EBCCP)

National Cancer Institute (NCI)
A searchable database of cancer control programs designed to provide program planners and public health practitioners with easy and immediate access to  resources.

Pathway to Practice Resource Center

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Tools and resources produced by CDC-funded Prevention Research Centers research projects. Community organizations and public health practitioners can tailor these resources to identify, replicate, and use key aspects of successful public health programs and inspire others to expand the uptake and use of evidence-based interventions.

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