In the Intervention Wheel, which criterion must be met for services to be considered population-based?

• A. People receive services because they belong to an identified population
• B. Services are provided only when a disease is diagnosed
• C. Services are delivered randomly
• D. Services do not aim to improve health status

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is targeting services to a defined group to promote health for the whole community. Population-based services are planned and delivered because people belong to an identified population. This means the approach uses characteristics or risk factors of a group—such as age, location, or other shared traits—to guide outreach, prevention, and health promotion, reaching people before illness occurs and aiming to improve health status across the group.

Why this fits: When services are provided because individuals are part of a specific population, the focus is on preventing disease, promoting healthy behaviors, and ensuring equity within that group. It reflects a proactive, community-wide strategy rather than waiting for an illness to be diagnosed or delivering care at random.

Why the other options don’t fit: Providing services only after a disease is diagnosed is disease-based care, not population-based; delivering services randomly lacks any planned targeting to a group; and services that do not aim to improve health status contradict the fundamental goal of population health, which is to enhance the health of the group as a whole.