Date: Saturday, March 28, 2026
Hi! My name is Jasmine Lewis and I am an early career biological psychologist and evaluator.
For many professionals in health evaluation and related fields, political advocacy and health evaluation can at first glance appear to be two separate worlds. However, these two worlds are deeply connected. Evaluation provides evidence about what is working, for whom, and under what circumstances. Political advocacy seeks to influence policies and funding decisions that ultimately shape health outcomes via the programs and research that are funded. Health evaluation findings can play a crucial role in advocacy by grounding arguments in data rather than anecdotes alone by offering credible answers to questions about whether a program should be funded, expanded, redesigned, or terminated.
One example of how health evaluation was used to influence policy change is through the creation of the Momnibus Act. The US has one of the highest maternal mortality rates compared to other nations, with Black women having the highest rates. However, it is estimated that 80% of these deaths are preventable. This has led many evaluators and researchers within the health field to advocate for improved healthcare for pregnant women, which first started with documenting and assessing the number of deaths that were occurring. These efforts, among others, led to the creation of the Momnibus Act, which is a package of 13 bills to provide funds to address maternal mortality and disparities in the US.
As evaluators, we come from diverse backgrounds. Your evaluation findings do not have to be partisan to be politically relevant. Sharing evidence about disparities in outcomes, inequities in access, or unintended consequences of programs is not “taking sides”. Data that highlights who benefits and who is left out can help policy makers push for more equitable policies. Finally, engaging with advocacy through an evaluation lens can be empowering. It reinforces the idea that your work has real-world impact, and that evidence can be a catalyst for change. Rather than seeing evaluation as a back-end requirement, you can view it as a tool that supports more informed, just, and effective policies.
Political advocacy does not have to be a huge endeavor; it can be something as simple as emailing or calling your local congressional office. I am learning that engaging in advocacy can be a good way to learn how to communicate your evaluation/research findings beyond academic or technical audiences. Advocacy often requires translating complex results into clear, compelling messages that resonate with policymakers, community leaders, and the public. This might mean focusing less on statistical detail and more on implications.
With health misinformation becoming more widespread, our voices as researchers/evaluators are needed more than ever.
If you want to learn about political advocacy and how to get involved, check out this advocacy toolkit by the Association of Public Health Nurses. This toolkit explains in further detail policy processes and advocacy step-by-step.
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