Table 1

Brief descriptions of the multilevel interventions based on the socioecological model of health

LevelPractical applications—examples from CIH
Individual (intrapersonal)▸ Distributing health-related messages through various channels;
▸ Distributing tools for a healthy lifestyle including salt spoons and oil pots;
▸ Providing free disease screening and risk assessment for cardiovascular disease;
▸ Providing physical fitness testing;
Social environment (interpersonal)▸ Encouraging health professionals to screen and give prescription for health;
▸ Starting a walking club;
▸ Increasing positive interaction between parents and children to promote healthy lifestyle;
Physical environment▸ Implementing a smoke-free worksite initiative;
▸ Implementing and enforcing smoking bans and restrictions in public areas;
▸ Using point-of-decision prompts to increase stair use;
▸ Organising work-break exercises, sports competitions, mountain-climbing events and sports interest groups;
▸ Building walking trails with stone distance markers along the canal and in the community park;
▸ Building health theme parks;
▸ Initiation of a public bicycle service system;
▸ Healthy cooking intervention in restaurants and workplace cafeteria;
▸ Making health-related or calorie information of foods available to consumers;
Policy environment▸ Smoke control ordinance in public places of Hangzhou;
▸ Policy and planning for healthy city movement and enhancing public transportation.
  • CIH, Community Interventions for Health.