Tailoring and Planning Evaluation

Health Care -- Tailoring and Planning Evaluation - Rewrite

The required readings for this course provide definitions and parameters for several types of evaluation. Review of those readings supports the use of the "learning process" and "process evaluation" for the World Health Organization's Tobacco Free Initiative (TFI). Planning and conducting the evaluation entails three key phases and the assistance of multiple stakeholders to ensure the effectiveness of the evaluation.

The type of evaluation that you would conduct as discussed by Powell (2006). What phases would your evaluation entail?

The TFI is logically classified as a developmental program and its interests are apparently best served by the "learning process" approach (Aubel, 1995, p. 13). What is more, the TFI's worldwide practices, at times borrowing from older, established tobacco control programs in its member countries, warrant "process evaluation" (Anonymous, Common conceptual and methodological frameworks - Powerpoint presentation, n.d.), defined by Powell as "looking at how something happens rather than or in addition to examining outputs and outcomes" (Powell, 2006). Further examining the "learning process" approach, Aubel states that this approach includes: a purpose of measuring quantitative achievement and developing lessons that can be integrated into the program; a scope of data collection that uses holistic analysis, allows additional questions and dimensions to arise through a continual learning process; data collection methods that are both qualitative and quantitative and use subjective judgment; delegate responsibility for data collection to program stakeholders, including the program's own managers and implementers (Aubel, 1995, p. 15). The three crucial components or phases of evaluation, as defined by Metcalf, Aitken and Gaff and ultimately used in the TFI's evaluation are: an evaluation question reflecting the program's goals, with data collection and analysis geared to answering that question; a comparison between the program and another approach to determine whether the program is impactful and/or an improvement over the other approach; a judgment or assessment of the program's value (Metcalfe, Aitken, & Gaff, 2008, p. 171). These three components or phases will allow the TFI to effectively evaluate its programs.

Discuss stakeholders in your evaluation and their respective interests. According to Metcalfe, Aitken, & Gaff (2008), what role should stakeholders play in an evaluation?

"Stakeholders" are people or entities who have an investment in the program's evaluation outcome because they will use the information obtained from the evaluation and make decisions from it (Aubel, 1995, p. 18). According to Metcalf, Aitken and Gaff, the stakeholders play a vital role in the evaluation process because they are "critical to the needs assessment process," in which the evaluation planner(s) define the objectives - whatever is wanted or needed by the target population(s) and the program/evaluation in service to the target population(s). While not all stakeholders would be necessarily involved in formulating every objective, they must all ultimately know the findings from the needs assessment in order to effectively meet those determined needs (Metcalfe, Aitken, & Gaff, 2008, p. 173).

Given the descriptions and parameters set forth by Powell, Aubel, Metcalfe, Aitken & Gaff, it appears that stakeholders in a program as wide-ranging as the TFI should include Dr. Douglas Bettcher, the TFI Director, whose interest lies in oversight of the entire global program. In addition, the stakeholders should include key department heads for: Tobacco Control Measures, whose interests would be assisting "governments [to] reduce the harms caused by tobacco by adopting and implementing the tobacco control provisions of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control"; Legislation and Enforcement, whose interests are in legislation, which "institutionalizes and makes binding a country's commitment for tobacco control, creates focus for tobacco control activity and regulates private and public conduct in ways that voluntary measures cannot"; Health Systems and Professionals, whose interests are in taking a leading role in countries' "concerted efforts" in "implementing measures to prevent and treat tobacco dependence"; MPower, whose interests are in a series of technical measures and resources related to the TFI's demand reduction provisions; Capacity Building and Initiatives, whose interests are in strengthening each member nation's capacity for tobacco control; Tobacco Control for Specific Populations, whose interests are in ensuring maximum global impact by considering the needs, characteristics and most effective interventions for specific populations. (World Health Organization, 2012). Finally, stakeholders should include at least one representative from each of the 176 Countries/Parties to the TFI's Framework Convention, whose interests lie in tobacco control in their respective countries (World Health Organization, 2012).

Conclusion