Why Use the Community Guide?

The Community Guide is the place to find evidence-based recommendations and findings of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services. The Community Guide:

• Uses a science-based approach
• Covers many health topics and types of interventions for behavior change, disease prevention and environmental change
• Identifies where more research is needed
• Complements other decision support tools, such as Healthy People 2010, and the Guide to Clinical Preventive Services

Finding Answers

Individual studies give us information about specific programs and policies. But looking at the larger body of research provides a much better understanding of whether or not a type of intervention has been shown to be effective. The Community Guide finds answers by conducting systematic reviews of scientific studies on many public health topics. The Task Force then uses this information to develop its recommendations and findings.

Making Decisions

The Community Guide assists decision-makers in selecting effective interventions that make the best use of scarce resources by answering the following questions:

• What interventions work to promote good health behaviors?
• Are certain interventions cost-effective?
• What gaps exist in the research?

Obtaining Support

The Community Guide can also be used to help:

• Justify particular programs, services, and policies
• Foster community support for the above
• Make a strong case for funding proposals or budget requests