The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #42295

Rosemary Janiszewski, MS, CHES, Office of Communication, Health Education, and Public Liaison, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, 31 Center Drive MSC 2510, Bethesda, MD 20892-2510, 301-496-5248, rjaniszewski@nei.nih.gov and Karen Silver, MPH, Office of Communication, Health Education and Public Liaison, National Eye Institute, 31 Center Drive, MSC 2510, Bethesda, MD 20892-2510.

A needs assessment is a critical first step in developing health education programs. With a greater emphasis on cost effectiveness and accountability in health education, program planners must now look carefully at developing programs that meet the needs of their audience, community, and agency. While needs assessments take time and resources, they can provide valuable information and facilitate getting to know the target audience. The National Eye Health Education Program (NEHEP), coordinated by the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health, has conducted three needs assessments that generated a wealth of information about different populations. This information was used to further develop NEHEP health education and outreach programs by prioritizing activities and maximizing resources. Lessons learned in preparing and conducting assessments, as well as using the results, will be shared.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to

• recognize the role of needs assessment in program planning; and
• describe the process of developing and conducting a needs assessment and using the results for effective program planning.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.