Return to search form  

Session Title: Conducting Large Scale Evaluations of Federal Cancer Control Programs

Panel Session 346 to be held in Pratt Room, Section A on Thursday, November 8, 11:15 AM to 12:45 PM

Sponsored by the Health Evaluation TIG

Chair(s):

Lenora payday loan  Johnson payday loan ,  National Institutes of Health,  johnslen@mail.nih.gov

Abstract: With decreasing funding, there is a greater need for federal programs to demonstrate their effectiveness. To aid in conducting federal evaluations, the government has instituted programs like HHS's 1% Evaluation Set-Aside program, which off-sets the cost of evaluation and provides opportunities for capacity-building. However, challenges remain. GAO documents several barriers in its case study report on the assessment of information dissemination including: variations local-level program implementation; assessing impact of multi-media programs; observation of delayed outcomes; reliance on self-report; and accounting for all factors contributing to behavior change. Despite barriers, agencies are expected to implement rigorous evaluations that deliver reliable, timely, and useful results. In this session, three examples of ongoing, large-scale evaluations of federal cancer control programs will be presented. Authors will share methodologies and findings, including challenges and strategies to address them. A discussion around how to best meet challenges associated with conducting these evaluations will follow.

Evaluation of the National Network of Tobacco Cessation Quitlines (NNTCQ) Initiative Candace payday loan  Deaton Maynard payday loan ,  National Institutes of Health,  maynarc@mail.nih.gov The goal of NNTCQ is to ensure access to cessation services. NNTCQ provided funding to enhance/establish quitlines; made services available until states had a quitline; and established a single, access number that routes callers to state services. Currently, all 50 states and DC have quitlines and 1-800-QUIT-NOW has received over 600,000 calls since November 2004. A program logic model and a three-phased evaluation plan were developed. The design, methods, and outcomes from the first-phase process evaluation will be shared. This evaluation was innovative as it employed primary data collection via key informant interviews and secondary data analysis from an annual survey to assess questions including: "How did quitlines use the resources provided?" and "What extent did support facilitate/hinder quitlines?" Initial findings will be used to 1) strengthen partnerships within cessation research and practice, 2) build and enhance capacity to provide services; 3) increase the usage and sustainability of quitline.

Evaluation of the National Cancer Institute's National Body & Soul Dissemination Felicia payday loan  Solomon payday loan ,  National Institutes of Health,  solomonf@mail.nih.gov Body & Soul is a faith-based program to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among African Americans. Body & Soul is based on over 10 years of research in churches, and when implemented as intended, is successful in increasing fruit and vegetable consumption. Currently NCI is leading efforts to disseminate the program to churches nationally and to evaluate these efforts. This presentation will report preliminary evaluation findings. The evaluation is being conducted in three Phases: (1) Describe the model, (2) Assess implementation of the model, and (3) Assess the impact of the dissemination. A logic model has been developed to support the evaluation of the dissemination. Inputs, outputs, and expected outcomes of the dissemination will be discussed. We will also discuss the challenges of evaluating the transfer of research to practice.

The Impact of a Smoking Cessation Media Campaign in the Military Herbert payday loan  Baum payday loan ,  National Institutes of Health,  herbert.m.baum@orcmacro.com TRICARE, the US Military health system, is concerned about the rate of tobacco use among young members of the military. Macro International was tasked with developing, implementing, and evaluating a media campaign to promote tobacco cessation. Data on use of tobacco were gathered, via in-person interviews from 200 individuals at each of four military bases, representing the various branches of the service (Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines). A 30-day pilot media campaign was launched in late February 2007, incorporating radio, print media (post newspapers), and poster advertisements. When the pilot ends, in-person interviews will be conducted with military personnel at these same bases. Comparing results from the two surveys provides a measure of changes in behavior as well as actions taken. Awareness of the media campaign will also be estimated. This paper reports on the issues involved in conducting an evaluation of this type in a military environment.