Evaluation of community-based programs to improve access to eye care among persons at high risk for glaucoma

Glaucoma, which can produce vision loss, affects approximately 2.2 million U.S. adults older than 40. People of older age and African Americans are at greatest risk for this disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has funded two institutions to implement community-based programs to improve access to eye care among persons at high risk for glaucoma. Using innovative methods of educational outreach and eye exams, the two institutions mobilized community partners to assist them to effectively plan, develop, and implement community-based interventions for the detection and treatment of glaucoma among high risk populations. Although different with regard to their intervention and community outreach, the outcomes of the two programs are similar and contribute to CDC's overall goal of improving access to and utilization of eye care services to people most at risk for this disease. Westat is conducting a process and outcome evaluation of these two programs in order to assess the ability of the interventions to meet these larger program objectives. This presentation highlights our approach to the evaluation, including questions, methodology, and current activities. We apply the RE-AIM framework (Glasgow, et al 1999) for a shared platform of Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance indicators, and identify data sources to track and measure the indicators that contribute to common outcomes of the two programs. A program logic model further served as a roadmap to organize our inquiry and helped to harmonize CDC's public health goals with the more unique goals of each community-based program.