Evidence-Based Intervention (EBI) Mapping: a systematic approach to understanding the components and

Walker et al. BMC Public Health (2022) 22:1300

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13692-x

RESEARCH

Evidence-Based Intervention (EBI) Mapping:

a systematic approach to understanding

the components and logic of EBIs

Timothy J. Walker1*, Maya Foster1

, Jacob Szeszulski2

, Derek W. Craig1

, Patricia Dolan Mullen1† and

Maria E. Fernández1†

Abstract

Background: Despite the development of numerous evidence-based interventions (EBIs), many go unused in prac￾tice. Hesitations to use existing EBIs may be due to a lack of understanding about EBI components and what it would

take to adapt it or implement it as designed. To improve the use of EBIs, program planners need to understand their

goals, core components, and mechanisms of action. This paper presents EBI Mapping, a systematic approach based

on Intervention Mapping, that can be used to understand and clearly describe EBIs, and help planners put them into

practice.

Methods: We describe EBI Mapping tasks and provide an example of the process. EBI Mapping uses principles from

Intervention Mapping, a systematic framework for planning multilevel health promotion interventions. EBI Mapping

applies the Intervention Mapping steps retrospectively to help planners understand an existing EBI (rather than plan a

new one). We explain each EBI Mapping task and demonstrate the process using the VERB Summer Scorecard (VSS), a

multi-level community-based intervention to improve youth physical activity.

Results: EBI Mapping tasks are: 1) document EBI materials and activities, and their audiences, 2) identify the EBI goals,

content, and mechanisms of action, 3) identify the theoretical change methods and practical applications of those

methods, 4) describe design features and delivery channels, and 5) describe the implementers and their tasks, imple￾mentation strategies, and needed resources. By applying the EBI Mapping tasks, we created a logic model for the VSS

intervention. The VSS logic model specifes the links between behavior change methods, practical applications, and

determinants for both the at-risk population and environmental change agents. The logic model also links the respec￾tive determinants to the desired outcomes including the health behavior and environmental conditions to improve

the health outcome in the at-risk population.

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Open Access

†

Patricia Dolan Mullen and Maria E. Fernández are co-senior authors who

equally oversaw completion of this work.

*Correspondence: [email protected]

1

Department of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences, Center for Health

Promotion and Prevention Research, University of Texas Health Science

Center at Houston School of Public Health, Houston, 7000 Fannin St., TX

77030, USA

Full list of author information is available at the end of the article