Community health promotion programs.

The theory behind several community-based health promotion/disease prevention programs was reviewed, together with the way theory was put into practice and the outcomes of various interventions. Much has been published on theoretical bases and mechanics of these programs, but evidence linking theory, practice and outcome is limited. Conceptual overlap between theories and models make it difficult to test them with scientific rigour. More basic research is needed to evaluate the relations between the process of change, the target of change and both short- and long-term outcomes.