Cochrane studies identified showed health benefit; four Database of component benefits but showed modest improvement Systematic these were not reflected in in one or more of the outcomes Review overall outcome scores and measured, but no clear overall could have resulted from health gain; and one study Mental Health the use of significant showed no evidence of health and Wellbeing additional resources. gain. Two studies were related population Although agencies appear to lifestyle improvements of enthusiastic about which one failed to show health collaboration, gains for the intervention methodological flaws in the population, while the other primary studies and showed more unhealthy incomplete implementation lifestyle behaviours persisting of initiatives have prevented in the intervention population. the development of a strong Three studies were related to evidence base. If these chronic disease management flaws are addressed in and all three failed to future studies (for example demonstrate health gains. by providing greater detail on the implementation of programs, using more robust designs, with integrated process evaluations and measurement of health outcomes) it could provide a better understanding of what might work and why. When updating this review, we will analyse any partnership or process evaluations of our included
Cochrane Database of Systematic Review Mental Health and Wellbeing population studies identified component benefits but these were not reflected in overall outcome scores and could have resulted from the use of significant additional resources. Although agencies appear enthusiastic about collaboration, methodological flaws in the primary studies and incomplete implementation of initiatives have prevented the development of a strong evidence base. If these flaws are addressed in future studies (for example by providing greater detail on the implementation of programs, using more robust designs, with integrated process evaluations and measurement of health outcomes) it could provide a better understanding of what might work and why. When updating this review, we will analyse any partnership or process evaluations of our included showed health benefit; four showed modest improvement in one or more of the outcomes measured, but no clear overall health gain; and one study showed no evidence of health gain. Two studies were related to lifestyle improvements of which one failed to show health gains for the intervention population, while the other showed more unhealthy lifestyle behaviours persisting in the intervention population. Three studies were related to chronic disease management and all three failed to demonstrate health gains.