Program evaluation helps a public health team determine whether a program is working, how it can be improved, and whether it should continue. This lesson introduces evaluation planning and four common evaluation types.
Program evaluation is the ongoing, systematic collection, analysis, and use of data to examine a program’s efficacy, effectiveness, and efficiency. Evaluation supports decisions about current and future health programs. It may be required by a funder, prompted by a need to understand program results, or both.
All flashcards
What is program evaluation?
The ongoing, systematic collection, analysis, and use of data to examine program efficacy, effectiveness, and efficiency and guide decisions.
How do efficacy and effectiveness differ?
Efficacy is the maximum potential effect under ideal conditions; effectiveness is the ability to achieve desired outcomes in real-life settings.
What does efficiency consider?
Efficiency considers results in relation to resources used. It asks whether program outputs or effects are substantial relative to inputs.
What is the purpose of process evaluation?
It examines whether a program was implemented as planned and efficiently, describes inputs and outputs, and identifies opportunities to improve delivery.
What distinguishes outcome evaluation from impact evaluation?
Outcome evaluation measures achievement of program objectives and changes in the target population; impact evaluation examines the degree to which the program achieves its primary goal, often using longer-term community data.
Quiz questions
In the CDC Framework for Program Evaluation in Public Health, which step follows focusing the evaluation design?Answer: Gather credible evidence
Which evaluation quality standard asks who needs information, what they need, and how findings will be used?Answer: Utility
In a logic model, what term describes the direct products of program activities, such as sessions delivered?Answer: Outputs
In Public Health Ontario’s ten-step evaluation process, which phase includes applying evaluation findings?Answer: Utilization
What can benchmarks contribute when a team analyzes program results?Answer: They put observed results in context but do not prove causation.
Based on Population Health for Nurses by Jessica Ochs, Sherry L. Roper, Susan M. Schwartz (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.