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Session Title: Evaluating Health Programs: Voices and Perspectives From New and Experienced Evaluators
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Panel Session 116 to be held in Room 102 in the Convention Center on Wednesday, Nov 5, 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM
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Sponsored by the Health Evaluation TIG
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| Chair(s): |
| Robert LaChausse,
California State University at San Bernardino,
rlachaus@csusb.edu
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| Discussant(s):
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| Robert LaChausse,
California State University at San Bernardino,
rlachaus@csusb.edu
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| Abstract:
This panel session brings together new evaluators, mid-career evaluators, and recognized evaluation experts to discuss what works in the evaluation of health programs. On panel are 4 speakers with a wide range of evaluation experience sharing their unique perspectives on innovative approaches regarding health evaluation methods, policy, and practices. Questions posed to the panelists include:
1. How should we go about evaluating health and prevention programs?
2. How can evaluators increase the quality of program evaluations?
3. How can evaluators encourage the use of data-driven decision making?
4. How can evaluators include the ethnic and cultural aspects of stakeholders when conducting evaluations?
5. What national or state policies should be considered for the evaluation of community health programs?
The panel session will end with a 15-minute question and discussion session. Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions and share their perspectives regarding the evaluation of health programs.
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Perspectives from a Not-So-New Evaluator
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| Jenica Huddleston,
University of California at Berkeley,
jenhud@berkeley.edu
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Jenica Huddleston, MS is currently a doctoral student at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health, where she is focusing on implementation and evaluation of a multi-level intervention aimed at addressing childhood obesity. She is also the owner of Zetetic Associates, an evaluation consulting company working primarily on evaluating topics related to children and community health. Ms. Huddleston believes that a one-size-fits-all perspective does not work in evaluation, health-related or otherwise. Considerations of purpose, goals, stakeholders and utility should be assessed when determining the most appropriate design and methods for an evaluation. Unfortunately this is not always the case when we look at how evaluation often works in the real world.
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Thoughts on Health Evaluation from Two Decades of Service
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| Elizabeth Harris,
Evaluation, Management and Training Associates Inc,
eharris@emt.org
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Dr. Harris is EMT's Vice-President with two decades of experience in evaluation and survey research with federal, state and local agencies. The mission of E.M.T. Associates is to promote and facilitate the use of relevant information to improve social policy and enhance the resolution of social problems. Dr. Harris' areas of expertise include evaluation of public health, mental health and alcohol and other drug prevention, and integrated behavioral health services. Dr. Harris is currently the Project Manager for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's consumer response services center evaluation, CDC INFO. She is also serving as the Principal Investigator for Los Angeles County's First 5 LA Connect evaluation of a warm line for families with young children and their service providers. She recently served as Co-Principal Investigator for the National Minority Substance Abuse and HIV Prevention National Evaluation funded by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.
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Challenges in Evaluating Health Promotion Programs
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| Eusebio Alvaro,
Claremont Graduate University,
eusebio.alvaro@cgu.edu
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Dr. Alvaro is an Associate Professor in the School of Behavioral and Organizational Sciences at Claremont Graduate University. His evaluation activities involve studying the health promotion and disease prevention programs with a particular focus on the development and testing of media messages targeting health behavior change among Hispanics. He is currently funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and other organizations. He has also conducted evaluations of tobacco control programs, organ donation programs, and adolescent drug use programs.
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Perspectives from the Field of Public Health
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| Ann Zukoski,
Oregon State University,
ann.zukoski@oregonstate.edu
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Dr. Zukoski is currently an Assistant Professor -Senior Researcher in the Department of Public Health at Oregon State University and a private consultant. Dr. Zukoski is currently a co-investigator on a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) funded study to explore factors that affect the ability of rural Latino women and men to access reproductive health services and protect themselves from HIV/STIs and unintended pregnancy. She believes that the public health field is charged with protecting the health of populations over their lifespan. With this aim, interventions are designed to influence the actions of individuals, families, community groups, organizations and institutions. Within this broad framework, evaluators are asked to determine the worth of public health programs. She feels that health evaluations are being required to emphasize health outcomes but often fail to consider other important measures such as enhancing community capacities, changing institutional environments, and altering health policies.
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