Evidence-based health promotion: Where are we in education, training, and continuing training of relevant stakeholders? An exploratory overview,Evidenzbasiert Gesundheit fördern: Wo stehen wir in Aus‑, Fort- und Weiterbildung der relevanten Akteure? Eine explorative Übersicht

BACKGROUND: Health promotion interventions are not yet evidence-based to a desirable extent. A comparatively unnoticed explanatory factor could be that in the education and training of practitioners in health promotion and prevention, evidence-based approaches are still not sufficiently taken into account.

OBJECTIVES: To what extent is the topic of evidence-based practice found in basic documents such as competency frameworks, module manuals of degree programs, and the education trainings offered by central training providers for practitioners in prevention and health promotion?

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Selective Internet research and document analysis of two subject-specific qualifications frameworks, 31 degree programs, and three major training providers with respect to explicitly mentioned evidence topics.

RESULTS: Clear consideration of evidence in both qualification frameworks and in 17 of the 31 degree programs; no explicit mention in any qualification program of the three training providers in the last five years.

CONCLUSIONS: Limitations of the methodological approach are that not the entire field was analyzed, that only explicit consideration of evidence topics was sought, and that planning papers are an uncertain indicator of actual practice in education, training, and continuing education. Nonetheless, the exploratory study points to a need for action. It is suggested to approach universities and training providers with the aim of anchoring evidence topics more strongly in their offers, e.g., on the basis of the memorandum of the Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung (Federal Centre for Health Education; BZgA) "Evidence-based Prevention and Health Promotion."