Evidence-based prevention requires evidence-based performance. The case of screening for congenital heart disease in child health care

[The development of evidence-based prevention. Health promotion and education as an approach to continuous quality improvement of health care]

Evidence-based health promotion and education relies on the systematic and critical discussion of the best available research on the effectiveness of interventions. In the last decade, evidence-based reviews provided decisive proof for the effectiveness of health promotion and education. The approach is also capable of identifying high-quality interventions and deficiencies. Nevertheless, there is an ongoing dispute concerning the transfer of evidence-based medicine to health promotion and education. Arguments concern databases, research strategies, validity and practical applicability of results. A discussion of these issues suggests that the methodology of evidence-based medicine is pertinent and informative. Some adaptations for health promotion and education would make sense, though: contexts and characteristics of interventions should be documented and published in rather more detail in order to reach better causal models. Pre-post studies which are of particular importance for health promotion and education should be elaborated according to the psychological multi-trait multi-method strategy (multiple measurements, modelling of process levels, multidimensional operationalization of complex outcomes). All relevant knowledge including qualitative studies should be integrated into cycles of theory formulation and evidence testing. Finally, a reappraisal of expert opinion is proposed relying on specific criteria for the transparency and plurality of consensus procedures ruling out conflicts of interest.