A health intervention is an effort to promote good health behaviour such as physical exercise

Physical exercise

Physical exercise is any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. It is performed for various reasons including strengthening muscles and the cardiovascular system, honing athletic skills, weight loss or maintenance, as well as for the purpose of...

 or to prevent bad health behaviours, e.g. promoting tobacco smoking

Tobacco smoking

Tobacco smoking is the practice where tobacco is burned and the resulting smoke is inhaled. The practice may have begun as early as 5000–3000 BCE. Tobacco was introduced to Eurasia in the late 16th century where it followed common trade routes...

 cessation or discouraging the use of illicit drugs or excessive drinking

Alcoholism

Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...

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Health interventions may be run by a variety of organizations, including health department

Health department

A health department or health ministry is a part of government which focuses on issues related to the general health of the citizenry. Subnational entities, such as states, counties and cities, often also operate a health department of their own...

s and private organizations.

In recent years various forms of intervention involving family and friends have been developed and used to encourage people with self-destructive behaviors or addictions to accept help. This started with the Johnson Intervention in the 1960s. Since then several variations on this basic methodology have been developed, each with its advantages and disadvantages.