At EDC, we view health as the presence of physical, mental, and social well-being, not simply the absence of illness. If people are healthy, they can take full advantage of every opportunity to learn, work, and enjoy their lives. Our work in health promotion touches people at all points in their lives, from infancy to end-of-life care. We work with practitioners and professionals in all sectors of the health care system, as well as with schools and communities. In projects around the globe, we design, implement, and evaluate strategies to reduce and prevent alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use; HIV infection; injuries and violence. In all our efforts, we work with communities to devise programs that are sensitive and responsive to local needs, concerns, and resources.

One of EDC’s key roles is to build bridges between research and real-life practice. Focusing on “proven” and “effective” strategies—approaches that can be tested and confirmed to work—EDC creates tools, offers training, and builds partnerships to draw on the best practices in the field of health promotion. For example, EDC and the World Health Organization worked with Education International (the world’s largest teacher trade union) to develop training programs on HIV prevention for African teachers; in the U.S. and around the world, EDC works with communities to assess and strengthen their infrastructure to address school health issues.