Week 5 · Adaptive Planning Program

21. Selecting Evidence-Based Interventions

30 min

By the end you'll be able to

Navigate evidence-based intervention repositories
Evaluate the strength of evidence for candidate interventions
Balance adaptation for local context with fidelity to core components

True innovation often starts with what already works. This lesson guides you through the repositories of Evidence-Based Interventions (EBIs), teaching you not just to find them, but to evaluate the strength of their evidence.

We grapple with the critical balance of Adaptation versus Fidelity: defining exactly how much you can change an EBI to fit your local context without breaking the core elements that make it effective.

Practice quiz

Question 1
When working with an Evidence-Based Intervention (EBI), what does the tension between Adaptation and Fidelity primarily ask you to balance?
- How much you can change an EBI to fit local context without breaking its core effective elements
- How quickly the intervention can be deployed versus how much it costs
- Whether the intervention should be delivered in person or online
- How many staff members are needed to run the program at full scale
Question 2
Why does the lesson recommend starting with EBI repositories rather than designing a brand-new intervention from scratch?
- Repositories guarantee that any listed intervention will work in any community
- True innovation often starts with what already works, and repositories let you evaluate the strength of evidence
- Building from scratch is illegal in public health practice
- Repositories provide free funding for any intervention you select
Reflection 3
In your own words, explain what ‘core elements’ of an EBI are and why identifying them matters before adapting.

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