Background and Development
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How was Intervention MICA created?
The Intervention MICA was developed with input from:
- Experts in the field (health practitioners, health care administrators and academics),
- The scientific literature and other resources (e.g., Internet sources, government reports).
This section summarizes how findings from these resources were used to define evidence and guide the process of developing this tool, including the structure, content and format of the Intervention MICA.
Organization and framing
The Intervention MICA encourages the user to consider multiple strategies and settings for intervention. Prompts and links are provided throughout to promote consideration of intervening to create changes in individuals as well as interpersonal relationships, organizations, environments and policies that influence health. Information is also provided on program planning (assessment, prioritizaton, intervention development and evaluation), logic model development and evaluation. Users are encouraged to consider the other MICA tools (Data MICA and Priorities MICA) to help them determine the appropriate areas for intervention. However, the user is also able to go through the system directly to interventions without referring to the other MICA tools or background information presented in Intervention MICA. Lay language and visual cues are used to ensure accessibility of the information to a wide variety of audiences. Intervention settings and strategies are organized in terms of how they influence determinants of change and short- and long-term outcomes as follows:
Evidence criteria
Recommendations for specific intervention strategies made by the Task Force on Community Preventive Services are considered the “gold standard” for scientific evidence on intervention effectiveness. However, based on findings from our resource review and expert interviews, these recommendations were combined with other types of evidence or criteria to judge the appropriateness of the intervention for dissemination. Specifically, the Intervention MICA assesses the different types of interventions and ranks them based on research- and practice-based evidence.
The Readiness scale, is a self-assessment of readiness to begin the process of planning and developing an intervention. It includes a list of items to examine organizational characteristics that could impact the likelihood of successfully developing a given intervention.
Intervention components
The Intervention MICA includes a wide range of practical information that will assist the user in planning and implementing (or putting into action) the intervention. First, the user is encouraged to think about intervention strategies in different settings (communities, worksites, schools, health care organizations, faith-based organizations and at home). Next, a general overview of the intervention strategy is provided to the user. This includes information about intervention components and a process for trying to implement (or put to action) the intervention. In addition, a series of questions and responses is included to provide greater detail in various areas (e.g., potential barriers, technical assistance suggested, partners to consider in doing the work, space considerations). Lastly, resources and websites are provided as examples of interventions that have used the strategies described. These websites include descriptions of interventions along with specific tools and materials to assist with intervention implementation, when available.
Evaluation components
Although evaluation could be an entire MICA system of its own, the Intervention MICA includes an overall description of the importance of evaluation, the types of evaluation that are appropriate at different stages within an intervention, and links to tools that the user might consider applying to their intervention. Users are also encouraged to turn to academic and practice partners for assistance as needed.