Regardless of the size or type of health promotion program, performing a meaningful evaluation is of critical importance. Evaluations help public health professionals determine if a program should be expanded, discontinued, or improved. It can also help determine how programs impact the behaviors, knowledge, and attitudes of the participants involved and contribute to the field of knowledge around the subject.
There are several types of evaluation that can be useful in assessing public health promotion programs, and each has its own nuances. Determining which is most appropriate involves an assessment of program goals, evaluation research questions, purposes, and resources available (Rural Health Information Hub, n.d.). In this Discussion, you will examine the purposes of evaluation and the CDC’s framework for program evaluation standards as you prepare to draft an evaluation plan for your Health Promotion Program Proposal.
Reference
Rural Health Information Hub. (n.d.). Evaluation design. https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/toolkits/rural-toolkit/4/evaluation-design
To prepare:
Consider the purposes of program evaluation.
Consider the four evaluation standards in CDC’s framework for program evaluation (found in Chapter 13 of the McKenzie et al. textbook).
Think about how both the purposes and the standards relate to your health promotion program proposal.
Post an initial response to the Discussion by responding to the following points:
In your own words, describe the two basic purposes of program evaluation.
Describe one evaluation standard from the CDC’s Framework for Program Evaluation that you think would be useful for your Health Promotion Program Proposal and justify your choice.
McKenzie, J. F., Neiger, B. L., & Thackeray, R. (2023). Evaluation: An overview. In Planning, implementing, and evaluating health promotion programs (8th ed., pp. 335-348). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
McKenzie, J. F., Neiger, B. L., & Thackeray, R. (2023). Evaluation approaches and designs. In Planning, implementing, and evaluating health promotion programs (8th ed., pp. 349-372). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
