Utilizing Healthy People 2010 for Performance Measurement

Background: HHS is increasingly interested in using objective performance measures to assess departmental progress towards mission-driven goals and grantee progress in achieving program objectives. The Office on Women's Health (OWH) developed a program to support collaborative efforts using gender and systems-based approaches to improving health. Methods: OWH reviewed several possible organizing frameworks to structure the program and identify performance measurement tools. Seven Healthy People 2010 (HP2010) focus areas were selected to serve as potential targets for intervention. Selected organizations were required to have baseline data available to facilitate assessing health impact and to strengthen surveillance/information systems that allow tracking of progress on HP2010 objectives. Results: Advancing System Improvements to Support Targets for Healthy People 2010 (ASIST2010) awarded thirteen cooperative agreements to a diverse set of community based organizations with at least one awardee addressing each of the seven Healthy People focus areas. Many of the awardees have been able to utilize Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data for baseline and impact assessment. Grantees faced challenges in developing the structure to measure population change based on programmatic activities, but many also saw strategic opportunities to expand their measurement capabilities. Conclusions: Selecting objective performance measures to be used in evaluating programmatic outcomes is a powerful tool for grant making institutions to align resources with strategic mission. The breadth and well-accepted framework of Healthy People 2010 were key elements in OWH's decision to utilize the initiative in programmatic decisions.