Abstract

Designing and Evaluating Complex Public Health Interventions for Children

Author(s)

Elise Davis -University of Melbourne

Prof Elizabeth Waters -McCaughey Centre, University of Melbourne

Dr Andrea Sanigorski -McCaughey Centre, University of Melbourne

Dr Elisha Riggs -McCaughey Centre, University of Melbourne

Complex interventions are widely used in public health practice and in areas of social policy. Public health interventions are inherently complex and as such the interpretation of findings is frequently dependent on a range of contextual factors, irrespective of the study design. A range of obesity prevention interventions will be presented to demonstrate the process, approaches and challenges in complex public health interventions.

For example, Fun 'n healthy in Moreland! is a cluster randomised controlled trial of a child health promotion and obesity prevention intervention with 23 primary schools in a culturally diverse, inner urban area of Melbourne, Australia. The value of investing in community based partnerships and involving community members in research will be discussed, as well as processes for ensuring cultural competency at each stage of research. Culturally competent processes provide advanced insight essential in the interpretation and development of an appropriate intervention framework.