The Evidence Reviews Facility has published reviews on a number of health promotion topics using a range of methods for synthesis and reporting. Most of these are accessible from the links below. You can browse the reports by topic area or chronologically. Alternatively, download a print-friendly list of reviews by topic area (pdf). Where the reports are not accessible from the links below, please contact us for further information. While we are now covering a broad range of topics, our earlier focus was in health promotion and public health; and so many of our previous reviews fall into these areas.

Topic areas

Full list, by date

The links to the knowledge pages provide details of research across the whole of the EPPI Centre. 

Accidental injury 
 

• Accidental injury, risk-taking behaviour and the social circumstances in which young people (aged 12-24) live: a systematic review (February 2007)

• Review of effectiveness of health promotion interventions to prevent accidents in older people (June 1995)

Visit the knowledge pages on accidental injury.

Children and young people 
 

• Psychosocial consequences of weight monitoring in children: Systematic review and policy mapping (October 2024)
   
• Increasing Access to Childcare for Ethnic Minority and Disadvantaged Communities (September 2024)
   
• Health promotion, inequalities and young people's health: a systematic review or research (October 2008)

• Targeted youth support: Rapid Evidence Assessment of effective early interventions for youth at risk of future poor outcomes (October 2008, funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families)

• Including diverse groups of children and young people in health promotion and public health research: a review of methodology and practice (September 2008)

• A scoping review of the evidence relevant to life checks for young people aged 9 to 14 years (January 2007)

• Barriers to, and facilitators of, the health of young people: A systematic review of evidence on young peoples views and on interventions in mental health, physical activity and healthy eating (October 2002)

• A review of the effectiveness and appropriateness of peer-delivered health promotion interventions for young people (November 1999)

• A descriptive mapping of health promotion studies in young people (May 1996) 

Visit the knowledge pages on teenage pregnancy.

Health services 
 

• Cardiovascular risk communication: systematic review of qualitative evidence (July 2024)

• Defensive healthcare practice: Systematic review of qualitative studies and systems-based logic model (October 2023)

• Adult specialist services for victim-survivors of sexual violence and abuse: a systematic map of evidence (November 2022)

• Quarterly scopes of the Long COVID literature: Systematic Reviews on Long COVID and RCTs on Long COVID treatments (November 2021 – October 2022)

• Digital interventions for alcohol and drug misuse prevention, treatment and recovery: systematic maps of research and available interventions (October 2022)

• Inappropriate treatment at the end of life: a systematic review of qualitative evidence (December 2021)

• Precision public health – A critical review of the opportunities and obstacles (September 2020)

• Prevalence, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of Lyme disease: an evidence map and four systematic reviews (December 2017)

• No-fault compensation schemes: A rapid realist review (December 2016)

• Impact of antiretroviral therapy on liver disease progression and mortality in patients co-infected with HIV and hepatitis C: Systematic review and meta-analysis (October 2015)

• Review 1: Community engagement for health via coalitions, collaborations and partnerships: a systematic review (July 2015)

• Review 2: Community engagement for health via coalitions, collaborations and partnerships: a systematic review and meta-analysis (July 2015)

• Review 3: Community engagement for health via coalitions, collaborations and partnerships (on-line social media and social networks): a systematic review and meta-analysis (July 2015)

• Depression, anxiety, pain and quality of life in people living with chronic hepatitis C: a systematic review and meta-analysis (January 2015)
   
• Paediatric medication error: A systematic review of the extent and nature of the problem in the UK and international interventions to address it (November 2014) 
   
• Psychosocial predictors, assessment and outcomes of cosmetic interventions: a systematic rapid evidence review (March 2013)
   
• A systematic rapid evidence assessment of late diagnosis (November 2012)
   
• The adult social care outcomes framework: a systematic review of systematic reviews to support its use and development (November 2012)
   
• Non-drug treatments for symptoms in dementia: an overview of systematic reviews of non-pharmacological interventions in the management of neuropsychiatric symptoms and challenging behaviours in patients with dementia (March 2012)
   
• The socioeconomic value of nursing and midwifery: a rapid systematic review of reviews (January 2010) 

Incentives for health promoting behaviours 
 

• Rapid review of reviews: what remotely delivered interventions can reduce social isolation and loneliness among older adults? (July 2020)

• Incentives to improve smoking, physical activity, dietary and weight management behaviours: a scoping review of the research evidence (October 2009)

• A systematic review of the evidence for incentive schemes to encourage positive health and other social behaviours in young people (March 2006)

• A summary of ongoing activity in the use of incentive schemes to encourage positive behaviours in young people (July 2005)

• A scoping review of the evidence for incentive schemes to encourage positive behaviours in young people (March 2005)

Visit the knowledge pages on incentives for health promoting behaviours.

Mental health 
 

• Bereavement support and Prolonged Grief Disorder: Scoping and mapping the evidence (May 2024)
   
• Young people and online eating disorder content: a qualitative evidence synthesis (January 2023)
   
• Preventative co-ordinated low-level support for adults with high-functioning autism: systematic review and service mapping (October 2016)
   
• Prevalence of mental health disorders in adult minority ethnic populations in England: A systematic review (January 2016)

• Inequalities and the mental health of young people: a systematic review of secondary school-based cognitive behavioural interventions (June 2009)

• Young people and mental health: a systematic review of research on barriers and facilitators (September 2001)

• Young men and suicide prevention: a scoping exercise for a review of the effectiveness of health promotion interventions of relevance to suicide prevention in young men (October 2002) 

Visit the knowledge pages on mental health.

Obesity, healthy eating and physical activity 

Obesity 
 

• What are the critical features of successful Tier 2 weight management programmes for adults? A systematic review to identify the programme characteristics, and combinations of characteristics, that are associated with successful weight loss (October 2016)
   
• Young people's views about obesity, body size, shape and weight: a systematic review (April 2013)

• Childhood obesity and educational attainment: a systematic review (January 2011)

• Children's views about obesity, body size, shape and weight: a systematic review (December 2009)

• A systematic map of the research on the relationship between obesity and sedentary behaviour in young people (November 2009)

• Social and environmental interventions to reduce childhood obesity: a systematic map of reviews (September 2008)

• Schemes to promote healthy weight among obese and overweight children in England (August 2008) 

Healthy eating 
 

• Communities that cook: a systematic review of the effectiveness and appropriateness of interventions to introduce adults to home cooking (February 2012)
   
• Children and healthy eating: a systematic review of barriers and facilitators (October 2003)

• Young people and healthy eating: a systematic review of research on barriers and facilitators (October 2001)

Physical activity 
 

• A synthesis of research addressing children’s, young people’s and parents’ views of walking and cycling for transport (November 2006)

• Children and physical activity: a systematic review of barriers and facilitators (April 2003)

• Young people and physical activity: a systematic review of research on barriers and facilitators (October 2001)

Visit the knowledge pages on obesity.

Pregnancy 
 

• Fathers’ views, experiences and preferences about involvement during the childbearing year (in preparation)

• (November 2011, funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council) Becoming a mother: a research synthesis of women’s experiences of first-time motherhood

• Young people, pregnancy and social exclusion: A systematic synthesis of research evidence to identify effective, appropriate and promising approaches for prevention and support (March 2006)

• Smoking cessation programmes in pregnancy: systematically addressing development, implementation, women’s concerns and effectiveness (October 2004)

• Sex selective abortion: a systematic map of the volume and nature of research (September 2015)

Visit the knowledge pages on pregnancy 

Research methods 

• RCTs for policy interventions? A review of reviews and meta-regression (May 2008)

• PHASE: Promoting Health After Sifting the Evidence (August 1996)

• A bibliography of research reports about patients', clinicians' and researchers' priorities for new research (December 2006)

• Involving consumers in research and development agenda setting for the NHS: developing an evidence-based approach (April 2004)

• Effectiveness reviews in health promotion (February 1999)

Visit sections in health settings, consumer involvement, and knowledge pages on research techniques

Sexual health

• Sexual health promotion and contraceptive services in local authorities: a systematic review of economic evaluations 2010-2015 (September 2016)
   
• HIV health promotion and men who have sex with men: a systematic review of research relevant to the development and implementation of effective and appropriate interventions (July 2004)

• Review of effectiveness of health promotion interventions for men who have sex with men (March 1996)

Sexual health is also covered by other reviews. See the knowledge pages on sexual health

 Tobacco

• Plain tobacco packaging: a systematic review (March 2012)
   
• Young people's access to tobacco: a mixed method systematic review (December 2011)
   
• Young people and smoking (May 1995)

Tobacco is covered in other sections. See the knowledge pages on smoking

 Workplace

• Developing evidence informed, employer-led workplace health (September 2016)
   
• Review of effectiveness of workplace health promotion interventions (November 1994)
  
  
• Effectiveness of health promotion interventions in the workplace (1998) 

Methods and tools listed on this page. See also the topic areas