Population health intervention research: the place of theories

International audienceBackground : An international workshop on population health intervention research (PHIR) was organized to fosterexchanges between experts from different disciplinesand different fields. This paper aims to summarize thediscussions around some of the issues addressed: (1) the place of theories in PHIR, (2) why theories can beuseful, and (3) how to choose and use the most relevant of them in evaluating PHIR.Methods : The workshop included formal presentations by participants and moderated discussions. An oralsynthesis was produced by a rapporteur to validate, through an expert consensus, the key points of the discussion andthe recommendations. All discussions were recorded and have been fully transcribed.Results : The following recommendations were generated through a consensus in the workshop discussions: (i) Theevaluation of interventions, like their development, could be improved through better use of theory. (ii) The referencedtheory and framework must be clarified. (iii) An intervention theory should be developed by a partnership of researchersand practitioners. (iv) More use of social theory is recommended. (v) Frameworks and a common language are helpful inselecting and communicating a theory. (vi) Better reporting of interventions and theories is needed.Conclusion : Theory-driven interventions and evaluations are key in PHIR as they facilitate the understanding ofmechanisms of change. There are many challenges in developing the most appropriate theories for interventions andevaluations. With the wealth of information now being generated, this subject is of increasing importance at manylevels, including for public health policy. It is, therefore, timely to consider how to build on the experiences of manydifferent disciplines to enable the development of better theories and facilitate evidence-based decisions