Online Program

322318
Why evaluate public health programs


Sunday, November 1, 2015 : 8:15 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.

Donna Petersen, ScD, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
This presentation will develop the background for the rest of the workshop.  We will discuss the importance of conducting program evaluations. We will begin by discussing broad topics such as the increasing complexity of addressing public health problems, the heightened need to address program effectiveness in an era of budgetary constraints, and the need to develop programs using evidence-based measures.  We will present questions that program evaluation should address, such as: Is the program meeting the intended needs?  Who does the program serve?
Is the program cost-effective? Has the program achieved its expected outcomes? What are people doing differently as a result of the program? What is the long-term impact of the program? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the program?  Were there unintended consequences of the program?

Learning Areas:

Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice

Learning Objectives:
Explain the importance of program evaluation in overall public health program management.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Donna Petersen, ScD, MHS, CPH is the Dean of the College of Public Health at the University of South Florida. She has been responsible for program evaluations in the two state health departments for which she worked (Maryland and Minnesota); and has done program evaluation training for state public health professionals for 20 years through the MCH Leadership Skills Training Institute and the MCH Epidemiology training program. She co-authored a textbook on needs assessment
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.