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Session Title: Metrics for the National Institute of Environmental Health Science (NIEHS): Measuring Outcomes to Advance Partnerships for Environmental Public Health
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Panel Session 730 to be held in Texas D on Saturday, Nov 13, 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM
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Sponsored by the Research, Technology, and Development Evaluation TIG
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| Chair(s): |
| Christie Drew, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, drewc@niehs.nih.gov
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| Discussant(s):
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| Gretchen Jordan, Sandia National Laboratories, gbjorda@sandia.gov
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| Abstract:
The purpose of this session is to present and discuss evaluation metrics for two activities conducted by grantees as part of the NIEHS Partnerships for Environmental Public Health (PEPH) program, an umbrella program focused on community partnerships for environmental health research. Environmental health researchers, healthcare professionals, educators and others with interest in the effects of environmental exposures on public health identified the lack of standardized evaluation tools and metrics as one of the biggest challenges for the program. In response, the PEPH team developed logic models and identified metrics to evaluate PEPH initiatives around major program themes. This session will focus on two of these: partnerships and development and dissemination of training/education/curricula materials. The approaches discussed help establish a common language among groups involved in PEPH. Importantly, these approaches represent innovative opportunities to measure progress and success in PEPH programs, and they can be easily translated to other program contexts.
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Metrics and Examples for Evaluating Education and Training Evaluation in Environmental Public Health Programs
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| Helena L Davis, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, davishl@niehs.nih.gov
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| Stephanie Shipp, Science and Technology Policy Institute, sship@ida.org
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| Beth Anderson, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, tainer@niehs.nih.gov
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| Sharon Beard, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, beard1@niehs.nih.gov
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| Caroline Dilworth, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, dilworthch@niehs.nih.gov
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| Christie Drew, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, drewc@niehs.nih.gov
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| Liam O'Fallon, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, ofallon@niehs.nih.gov
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| Ashley Brenner, Science and Technology Policy Institute, atbrenne@ida.org
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| Cara O'Donnell, Science and Technology Policy Institute, codonne@ida.org
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| Sarah Ryker, Science and Technology Policy Institute, sryker@ida.org
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Training and education are primary communications strategies for NIEHS PEPH programs. This presentation will focus on metrics and examples that result from creating and implementing training and curricula in the community for environmental health programs. The activities include communicating with partners to establish education partnerships and priorities, and developing and implementing the curricula. Outputs from these activities include access to, attendance at, and information uptake from participating in training and educational events with the goal to grow a pro-active community. Outcomes include increased awareness of environmental public health issues and training opportunities, secondary information transfer, informed decision making, and identification of future training needs.
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Evaluating Partnerships in Environmental Health Programs
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| Ashley Brenner, Science and Technology Policy Institute, atbrenne@ida.org
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| Beth Anderson, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, tainer@niehs.nih.gov
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| Sharon Beard, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, beard1@niehs.nih.gov
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| Helena L Davis, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, davishl@niehs.nih.gov
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| Caroline Dilworth, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, dilworthch@niehs.nih.gov
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| Christie Drew, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, drewc@niehs.nih.gov
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| Liam O'Fallon, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, ofallon@niehs.nih.gov
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| Sarah Ryker, Science and Technology Policy Institute, sryker@ida.org
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| Stephanie Shipp, Science and Technology Policy Institute, sship@ida.org
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The creation of partnerships is an important way to involve stakeholders in the process to address environmental public health challenges. This presentation focuses on the metrics and examples of effective partnerships. Activities such as identifying partners, building relationships with partners, involving partners in framing research questions and in the research process, developing and implementing communication outreach tools and maintaining and improving partnerships were identified as important activities. Outputs include reciprocal communications, investments in project mission, translations or scientific information among partners, and community involvement in research. Outcomes include innovation and cultural changes, sustainable partnerships, increased awareness in environmental health and research, and the capacity of the partners to identify changes and to form future collaborations.
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Partnerships and Training: The United Steelworkers Health and Safety Department Worker Training and Education Program
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| Thomas McQuiston, United Steelworkers Health and Safety Department, tmcquiston@uswtmc.org
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Tom McQuiston is an NIEHS Worker Education and Training Program grantee at the Tony Mazzocchi Center, the training, research, and evaluation arm of the United Steelworkers Health and Safety Department. The center is concerned with communicating results at a partner, regional, and national level and protecting the health of workers through training and education programs. The strong partnerships formed in this program have helped it thrive as measured by the increasing number of trained workers in the Union and elsewhere. Dr. McQuiston will briefly describe his program and then comment on the applicability of the new PEPH Evaluation manual to his work with the United Steelworkers Health and Safety Department Worker Training and Education program.
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Environmental Health and the Navajo Nation: Products, Dissemination, and Partnerships
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| Johnnye Lewis, University of New Mexico, jlewis@cybermesa.com
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With funding from EPA and NIEHS, Johnnye Lewis, director of the Community Environmental Health Program at the University of New Mexico, participates in a number of translational research projects, a large part of which depends on the involvement of partners in the communication of public health messages. Dr Lewis will first describe her program and then will comment on the applicability of the new PEPH Evaluation Manual and its applicability to her work with research to aid uranium cleanup in the Navajo Nation
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