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PubMed1992

Concave Ferguson plots of DNA fragments and convex Ferguson plots of bacteriophages: evaluation of molecular and fiber properties, using desktop computers.

A desktop computer program evaluating physical properties of DNA and bacteriophages is presented. The analysis is based on data obtained from capillary and submarine-type agarose electrophoresis. Native molecular/particle properties and properties of the gel (or polymer) medium can be derived from electrophoresis at several gel concentrations. This is done conveniently by a computerized evaluation of the semi-logarithmic plot of mobility vs. gel concentration, designated the Ferguson plot. In application to most proteins, this plot is linear and computer programs exist to evaluate it. However, nonlinear Ferguson plots have assumed great importance in view of the fact that the plots are concave for DNA. Similarly, convex plots are important since they prevail in the electrophoresis of large particles in agarose. The computer program reported here is the first to (i) address concave Ferguson plots and (ii) allow for the evaluation of both cases using a desktop computer. Program ELPHOFIT version 2.0, a Macintosh application, is available upon request.

Bacteriophages↗

PubMed2000

College men's health in practice: a multidisciplinary approach.

After a needs assessment indicated that male students underutilized campus health services, the San Francisco State University Student Health Service developed a coordinated complement of outpatient health services for men. The authors review their experience in developing, implementing, operating, and evaluating this ongoing clinical service. The needs assessment and subsequent program evaluation data suggest that male students on a large, culturally diverse, urban campus would respond favorably to targeted, multidisciplinary health initiatives that incorporate the principles of health promotion and disease prevention.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Perspectives on Reach to Recovery and CanSurmount: informing the evaluation model.

The Canadian Cancer Society requested that the Centre for Behavioural Research and Program Evaluation of the National Cancer Institute of Canada evaluate Reach to Recovery and CanSurmount, 1-on-1 peer-support programs that provide information and support to individuals with cancer and their families. Key informant interviews (with program participants and volunteer visitors) were conducted to gather qualitative data and to help us develop a framework and tools to evaluate these programs. We found that 1) there are program objectives from the perspective of volunteers and participants in addition to those outlined in the program materials; 2) there are variations in how the programs are delivered and how patients or family members are recruited into the program; and 3) there is evidence that Reach to Recovery and CanSurmount volunteers are in a unique position to deliver the programs, either because they have personally experienced cancer or have family members who have had cancer. We describe the key informant exercise developed for this evaluation project and present the results of preliminary data-gathering activities.

Breast Neoplasms↗

PubMed2001

Building the capacity of grassroots conservation organizations to conduct participatory evaluation.

Stakeholder participation has become a key factor in the success of grassroots conservation and natural resource management programs. Yet the majority of program evaluations are conducted by external consultants for the purposes of accountability, rather than program improvement. Too often, systematic evaluations of conservation programs are not conducted at all. The objective of this study was to build the capacity of a grassroots conservation organization to conduct participatory evaluation, involving project stakeholders in the design, implementation, and use of evaluation. The study applied a conceptual model for participatory evaluation to the Wildlife Clubs of Kenya (WCK), the largest grassroots conservation program for youth in Africa, involving more than one million youth since 1968. Seven trainings in participatory evaluation were conducted with WCK staff, teachers, and community members. The 120 participants, representing nine WCK regions with 800 clubs, showed a significant increase in attitudes and knowledge regarding evaluation, as reflected by mean test scores before and after training. To institutionalize evaluation at WCK, existing organizational practices were assessed and used as a foundation for developing an evaluation system. Based on club competitions, a new evaluation initiative was launched called the WCK Incentive Program. Participants in all seven workshops identified indicators and sources of evidence for this evaluation system, which now serves as a basis for rewarding outstanding performance in WCK. This study revealed the importance of incentives for evaluation, the need to build on existing structures to promote organizational learning, and the necessity for the conservation community to commit resources to capacity building in participatory evaluation.

Animals↗

PubMed1989

Cost-effectiveness index (CEI): a tool to help evaluate mental health programs.

A method for evaluating the cost-effectiveness of mental health programs is presented. The method takes into account the profile of mental health services a patient receives, the frequency of each service and the relative costs of each service in relation to the change in a patient's clinical condition between entrance into and release from a treatment program. It can also be used to assess change over a specified time period. An example compares the cost-effectiveness index (CEI) for similar cohorts of schizophrenia patients treated in two 24-hour acute care psychiatric systems. The CEI can use either actual dollar costs, if known, or a relative value scale associated with different services. Its utility and weaknesses are discussed. The CEI is designed to alert management to differences in the relative cost-effectiveness of programs serving populations of similar patients. Identification of such differences can contribute to improvement in program functioning.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed1980

Therapeutic community treatment for alcohol abusers: a one-year multivariate outcome evaluation.

This article describes the development of an alcohol treatment unit in a Veterans Hospital. The focus is on therapeutic philosophy, staffing patterns, and a critical evaluation and examination of issues related to program evaluation. About March of 1975 the administrative staff of the Audie Murphy Veterans Administration Hospital began tooling up for a new psychiatric unit to deal exclusively with the problem of alcohol abuse. The unit was officially opened in June of 1975. This article provides a short descriptive overview of the development of the program, with a focus on its staffing pattern and the operationalization of its treatment philosophy. It presents an evaluation of the program, describing the methodology of evaluation preferred for this type of operation as developed from previous experience of the senior author.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Expanding nursing informatics knowledge through cirriculum development: a collaborative faculty practice model.

In 1992 an informatics faculty practice model was implemented between a major teaching hospital and a Melbourne university. This arrangement was characterised by the provision of a mutually beneficial exchange of experiences and information between the participant clinician and academic. By using such a conjoint faculty practice model it has been found that many informatics problems can be addressed. Over the past three years the model has been evaluated through a longitudinal study. Investigations have included monitoring curriculum change, program evaluation and evaluation of participant professional outcomes. Survey results are presented and the specific elements that have made this model successful are described.

Curriculum↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Goal-oriented evaluation as a program management tool.

Health promotion programs, like all human services activities, must be well managed in order to be effective. In an age of reduced financial resources to support new programs and sustain old ones, all program directors must be concerned with the efficiency with which available resources are used to meet program goals and objectives. In times such as these, competition is high for those resources that are available. Programs that can demonstrate both effectiveness in meeting their goals and operational efficiency in doing so are more likely to be successful in the competition for these scarce resources. In this article, practical suggestions for the use and presentation of evaluation data in the analysis of program effectiveness and efficiency are presented. The methodology is based on the contention that program evaluation should be useful to program directors as an integral part of their management of program resources in relation to program goals.

Efficiency↗

PubMed2006

Evaluation of HUD-funded lead hazard control treatments at 6 years post-intervention.

The Evaluation of the HUD Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Grant Program (Evaluation) was a HUD-funded study of the effectiveness of lead hazard control (LHC) treatments conducted by 14 grantees in communities across the country. A stratified random sampling scheme was used to select treated units at four grantee sites for continued environmental assessment at 6 years post-intervention. The study compared the relative effectiveness after 6 years of the different classes of interventions used by the grantees, after controlling for such factors as housing conditions and characteristics and resident and neighborhood characteristics. Geometric mean dust-lead levels on floors and window sills were 11% and 23% lower, respectively, at 6 years post-intervention than at any preceding point following the intervention. Although geometric mean window trough dust-lead levels were slightly higher at 6 years post-intervention than at other post-intervention time periods, they were still over 75% lower than before intervention. Treatment at more-intensive levels was associated with lower window sill and window trough dust-lead levels; however, statistical modeling found no significant difference in floor dust-lead loadings over time between the levels of treatment; however, significant differences in window sill and window trough dust-lead levels between treatment levels were evident. Findings from the 6-Year Extension study indicate that across all grantees and treatment strategies the treatments applied were effective at significantly reducing environmental lead levels on floors, window sills, and window troughs at least 6 years following the intervention.

Air Pollution, Indoor↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluating a continuing education program.

This study evaluated an innovative program designed to assist registered nurses to achieve professional competency in a role that was introduced in the career structure and was new to Western Australian nurses. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to determine formative and summative aspects of the program. The framework for data processing was Stake's Countenance Model. Data were collected from participants and preceptors over one year. A variety of instruments were used including interviews, questionnaires, document reviews and observations. Findings indicate that the program facilitated development of professional behaviours and that the participants found it worthwhile. The method of evaluation was able to demonstrate that the program outcomes were logically and empirically contingent upon transactions and antecedents and were congruent with the program's intentions.

Career Mobility↗

PubMed1979

The Primary Mental Health Project (PMHP): evaluation of current program effectiveness.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Primary Mental Project (PMHP), a program for early detection and prevention of school adjustment problems. Pre- and postprogram assessments were done with 215 primary-grade children seen in PMHP, usig teacher ratings of problem behaviors and competencies, and child-aide ratings of problems. School mental health professionals judged educational and behavioral changes in project children during the year. Significant across-the board improvements were found on all criterion measures. Modest intercorrelations among criterion change estimates suggested that the observed changes were due to program, rather than halo, effects. PMHP children also improved significantly more than matched, retrospective controls.

Child↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Student perspectives on transitioning to new technologies for distance learning.

This article reports on students' perceptions of their learning experiences when an existing distance-learning master's program transitions to new technologies and new instructional strategies. Unique elements addressed in this article include (1) findings when a program with extensive experience delivering distance education changes to new technologies and (2) findings when a multidimensional format is used to evaluate program delivery. The technology changes involved migrating from a satellite-based technician-supported videoconferencing system to a land-based faculty-operated videoconferencing system and the addition of class Web materials and asynchronous computer conferencing to course delivery. The multidimensional evaluation format examined student experiences within the context of specific interactions among instructional activities, technology applications, and desired learning outcomes. The evaluation process involved (1) open-ended and structured items in course surveys and (2) an end-of-year student focus group discussion. A formative evaluation approach was used; this article reports on efforts to address the problems identified. Findings include (1) program planners should not assume that prior institutional experiences with distance education facilitate a smooth transition to use of different technologies and (2) a formative multidimensional approach to program evaluation is critical for understanding student experiences with technology-mediated distance education.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Immediate and enduring changes in knowledge and self-efficacy in APNs following computer-assisted home study of The Pharmacology of Alcohol.

BACKGROUND: 18 advanced practice nurses (APNs) evaluated a two contact hour home-study computer-assisted instructional (CAI) program on the pharmacology of alcohol developed by the author. Changes in knowledge and self-efficacy were measured immediately following program use and 5 months later. METHOD: The APNs were recruited from two seminar sections of a traditional lecture-based continuing education course for nurses enrolled in a primary care nurse practitioner program. Participants completed cognitive and self-efficacy instruments in class pre-program use and 5 months post-program use. The APNs completed immediate post-program evaluation instruments at home and returned them by mail. RESULTS: Significant gains in knowledge and self-efficacy with large effect sizes were achieved immediately following program use. Cognitive and self-efficacy scores decayed significantly 5 months post-program use but were still significantly greater than pre-program scores. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that continuing education in substance misuse or other pharmacology content may be effectively implemented at home via CAI.

Alcohol Drinking↗

PubMed1996

Medicolegal death investigator preemployment test development.

The medicolegal death investigator (MDI) represents an essential component in the multidisciplinary investigation of sudden and unexpected deaths. Presently there exists no specific program for the job training evaluation procedure for new (MDI) employees. We discuss the development of a medicolegal death investigator preemployment training tool, which consists of a training and evaluation program containing a list of tasks and task steps. After the investigator demonstrates the ability to perform individual tasks independently, the trainee will be objectively evaluated by the completion of a written test specifically designed to cover the task items. The preemployment test has been developed by those professionals best able to determine the job requirements, the death investigators. The specific outcomes of the process also include further definition of the profession, preemployment testing, policy and procedure development, posttraining evaluation, identification of training needs, curriculum design and further professional development, and identification of the profession of death investigator.

Aptitude Tests↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Indirect exposure to a family planning mass media campaign in Nepal.

It is often noted that some individuals become aware of a mass media program's messages through discussions with other individuals. However, the extent to which indirect exposure occurs, and its influence on behavior, are somewhat unclear. This study examines the role of indirect exposure in extending the reach of a family planning mass media campaign in Nepal. Sociometric data, gathered from nearly all women between the ages of 15 and 49 years living in six villages in Dang District, Nepal (N = 667), assessed indirect exposure to the radio program. Indirect exposure was extensive; half of all respondents were indirectly exposed to the program's messages and the overall reach of the program increased from 50% to 75% when indirect exposure was considered. Members of community groups had higher levels of direct exposure to the radio program and more extensive and diverse social networks, allowing them to serve as a conduit for these messages into the wider community. While direct exposure to the radio program appeared to influence family planning knowledge, indirect exposure was more strongly associated with contraceptive use. These findings suggest that program evaluations that ignore indirect exposure underestimate the impact of a mass media program on behavior.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Leadership development: an external-internal coaching partnership.

Professional coaching is a leadership development strategy that has the potential to improve individual and organizational performance, retain leadership talent, support succession planning, and help healthcare leaders meet professional and personal goals. The authors describe the development and benefits of a partnership between an external and an internal coach who joined forces to provide individual and group coaching to 64 clinical leaders in a health system. Program evaluation demonstrated an excellent return on investment. Recommendations for implementing professional coaching programs in other healthcare organizations are provided.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMed1992

Documentation and assessment of pharmacist-initiated drug therapy interventions.

In conclusion, the development of an efficient system to document pharmacist-initiated drug therapy interventions has been successful. The system has been incorporated into the pharmacy quality assurance program and is being used to evaluate the provision of pharmaceutical care. Finally, the system has been incorporated into the clinical services drug-use evaluation program and is being used to evaluate individual physician prescribing practices.

California↗

PubMed1979

Cost-benefit analysis: a research tool for evaluating innovative health programs.

This article reviews the evaluation methodology known as cost-benefit analysis. Studies which have utilized this technique are presented and briefly reviewed. In addition, the closely related technique known as cost-effectiveness (C-E) analysis is described and contrasted with cost-benefit analysis. Several research articles utilizing C-E are described. It is recommended that cost-benefit analysis be used as a mechanism to evaluate innovative health programs. This may be the sole mechanism that will enable health practitioners to cost-justify their innovative services to the federal government and other third-party payers.

Cost-Benefit Analysis↗