Goldie MacDonald, PhD, Steps to a HealthierUS, CDC, 4770 Buford Hwy, NE, K- 41, Atlanta, GA 30341, 770-488-5534, GMacDonald@cdc.gov

The centerpiece of the Steps to a HealthierUS Initiative is a five-year cooperative agreement program to improve the lives of Americans through community-based chronic disease prevention and control. The cooperative agreement program intends to help reduce the burden of diabetes, obesity, and asthma and addresses three related risk factors—physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and tobacco use.

Aimed at making changes at the community level, how do we assess this set of community-based health promotion programs as a national collective? In accordance with the CDC’s Framework for Program Evaluation in Public Health, key evaluation questions stem from a succinct description of program processes and intended outcomes. As such, a set of logic models serve as a focal point for evaluation planning, implementation, and the use of findings. In short, the logic model connects domains of activity to results, encourages performance-based budgeting, and highlights priority data needs. In an effort to develop an evaluation plan based upon theoretical and scientific grounds best suited to answer complex evaluation questions, an intricate web of intended outcomes, and related indicators, is introduced; indicators selected reflect important dimensions of program stewardship, public health infrastructure and capacity, as well as community and health outcomes. The evaluative approach emphasizes accountability to a wide range of program stakeholders. Moreover, the addition of practical feedback loops to program logic models guarantees that key findings are translated into improved practice. Initial lessons learned via a participatory approach to evaluation planning will be discussed in detail for easy application in diverse settings.

Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to

(
• articulate the importance of program logic models to evaluation planning, implementation, and the use of findings; (
• discern the relationship between program logic models and key evaluation questions; (
• recognize potential evaluation indicators beyond traditional health outcome measures; (
• discuss strategies for using a logic model and feedback loop to facilitate program development and improved public health practice; and (
• identify the strengths and challenges of this approach to national program monitoring and evaluation.

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.