New CDC Resource: Understanding Evidence, Part 1: Best Available Research Evidence
Each week, the Higher Education Center showcases recent developments in the field of AOD abuse and violence prevention in higher education that may include new data and resources, upcoming events and programs, funding opportunities, and learning opportunities. To see a listing of previous This Week! features, visit the This Week! archive.
November 4, 2011
Increasing emphasis has been placed on the importance of evidence-informed prevention strategies and evidence-based decision making. Definitions of what constitutes “evidence” have been debated, but most agree that evidence is extremely important for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers charged with the task of making decisions around the funding and implementation of violence prevention strategies.
A new report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Understanding Evidence, Part 1: Best Available Research Evidence, aims to explain the purpose and meaning of the Continuum of Evidence of Effectiveness, a tool that was developed to facilitate a common understanding of what the best available research evidence means in the field of violence prevention. This Continuum also serves to provide common language for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in discussing evidence-based decision making.