Introduction
Experimental studies to lessen inequalities in healthcare among racial minorities are crucial in removing barriers in services delivery (Cooper, Hill & Powe, 2002). Community-Based Evaluation Networks Targeting the Elimination of Racial and Ethnic Disparities (CENTERED) project was initiated to assess similar challenges in healthcare. The project aimed at creating tools and approaches for assessing community based strategies for removing gaps in healthcare. This paper discusses “An Evaluation Framework for Community Health Programs”, one of the tools developed by CENTERED (Baker, Davis, Gallerani, Sanchez & Viadro, 2000).
An Evaluation Framework for Community Health Programs
The framework underscores the significance of program evaluation. It emphasizes that programme appraisal is an applicable and ongoing procedure that involves project staff, local beneficiaries, and assessment experts. Largely, the framework is to assist guide and direct the evaluation process. It promotes a collective understanding of project appraisal. The framework provides a roadmap that is applicable to diverse situations and within other clusters or communities (Baker et al., 2000). Individuals with limited appropriate training or familiarity with program evaluation may also apply it. The framework is highly applicable in appraisal decision making activities such as working with expert evaluators. The framework addresses pertinent issues and concerns that regularly emerge during evaluation.
Most importantly, the framework provides evaluators with appropriate approaches required for conducting assessments. It provides evaluators with relevant strategies to obtain significant feedback during evaluation processes. The framework enables program evaluators to comprehend what they are assessing and the methodology that shall be applicable. Furthermore, it provides credible approaches that are applicable in gathering and analyzing data (Baker et al., 2000). It also indicates the notable strategies that evaluators shall apply in justifying their decisions. The framework indicates how best practices from implemented can be shared and scaled up.
The framework also incorporates particular components that are applicable in addressing quality while conducting appraisals. The components are the program appraisal standards. They include utility, which addresses the usefulness of evaluation. It also addresses feasibility standards regarding viability and practicability of evaluation procedure (Baker et al., 2000). There are also propriety and accuracy standards that help in determining whether or not an evaluation is both ethical and precise. It is noteworthy that the standards are the original yardstick that evaluators observe in order to obtain quality results.
The framework is also highly comprehensive and inclusive. It is organized in six steps covering all anticipated evaluation activities and outcomes. It is important to underscore that the framework is undoubtedly crucial in conducting quality appraisal. The framework describes the involvement of diverse stakeholders as the initial phase of an evaluation. Stakeholder involvement should be at the core of every program. This is because programs should target all population groups without discrimination (Baker et al., 2000). The framework also describes how program evaluators shall conduct stakeholder identification.
Public Health The second stage entails program description. It is notable that proper description of diverse projects is critical for their success. The third phase also emphasizes that evaluators must pay close attention the design of evaluation. It shows that seven basic questions shall be applicable in comprehending evaluation design (Baker et al., 2000). The fourth phase entails information collection and analysis. This phase is very significant in generating evidence regarding gaps in certain programs. The fifth phase entails decision justification based on gathered evidence. Program evaluators derive decision justification skills from the framework. The last component entails the application of learned lessons. The phase presents appropriate measures that program evaluators shall adopt in sharing lessons learned from diverse programs (Baker et al., 2000). From the ongoing discussions, it notable that the evaluation framework is the most crucial tool applicable in assessing community healthcare interventions.
References
Baker, Q., Davis, D., Gallerani, R., Sanchez, V. & Viadro, C. (2000). An Evaluation Framework for Community Health Programs. North Carolina, NC: CENTERED.
Cooper, L., Hill, M. & Powe, N. (2002). Designing and Evaluating Interventions to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care. Journal of General Internal Medicine. 17(6), 477–486.