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Evaluation of an intervention program for head lice infestation in school children.

In order to investigate the point prevalence rate of pediculosis capitis (human head lice) among children in the southern region of Israel, 1431 elementary school children (6 to 15 years old), representing rural and urban environments, were examined and characterized by sociodemographic variables. An intervention program was initiated immediately after the first examination, which included "health education" for children and parents and free medicated shampoo (with pediculocides) provided for each child detected as "positive." The intervention program was evaluated by a second examination performed on the same population after an interval of 1 month. Fifty-five percent of the children (793 of 1431) were found to be infested with one of the markers of head lice, with the highest rate in kibbutz children (80%) and the lowest rate (37%) among children who live in an urban neighborhood of high socioeconomic status. Analysis of various characteristics (related to the children screened in this study) revealed that crowding was the main factor contributing to the variation in the rates of infestation. Evaluation of the intervention program revealed a significant success in reducing head lice infestation that was not influenced by variation in socioeconomic status or place of residence.

Adolescent↗

After-school youth development programs: a developmental-ecological model of current research.

Although there has been a rapid increase in funding and attention to after-school programs, there is little understanding of how after-school programs impact children's developmental trajectories. The heterogeneity of American children makes it very unlikely that all children need after-school programming or that there is but one brand of after-school programming suitable for all youth. We discuss the numerous developmental and contextual factors that may influence which children benefit most from after-school programs as well as the nature of the after-school programs most beneficial to children's needs. The value of utilizing an ecological and developmental perspective to after-school program evaluation are presented, including the need for improved research designs and more detailed analyses of program type and services as well as a more complete determination of which children benefit the most from after-school participation.

Black or African American↗

Tracking the development of professional values in undergraduate nursing students.

In the current nursing shortage, nurses are frequently making significant patient care decisions concerning value-laden clinical issues. A program evaluation study was conducted to track professional values over time from entry into a baccalaureate program to graduation. Nursing students completed a survey measuring professional values upon entry into and exit from the program. Comparative analysis of pretest and posttest group means demonstrated statistically significant increases in total scores. The highest pretest value items were also the highest on the posttest, with the addition of patient advocacy. Patient advocacy jumped 16 places from pretest to posttest to become the highest-ranked statement upon exit from the program. All of the values rated as least valued at pretest remained least valued at posttest; however, the means of all but two (participating in nursing research and providing consumer education about products/services) increased significantly. The value statements with mean scores that increased significantly centered on aspects of nursing practice less visible to the lay public and involving interaction with other health care providers.

Codes of Ethics↗

Training injury control practitioners: the Indian Health Service model.

Many individuals practicing injury control have not received specific training for their work, in large part because of a scarcity of training opportunities. Consistent with its mission of "raising the health status of American Indian and Alaska Native people to the highest possible level," the Indian Health Service (IHS) created an innovative training program for federal and tribal employees. The model emphasizes training that is practical and can be applied immediately to community interventions. Many features of the IHS training model have broad applicability to other settings. These features include the use of experiential instruction, preceptors, and community case studies to train individuals from diverse cultural and educational backgrounds; educational strategies for employed adults; and courses that promote community empowerment. The development of IHS training courses are guided by community input, epidemiological data, advances in knowledge, and program evaluations. Courses range from a half-day "minicourse" to a full-year fellowship program. The success of the training model is evident in programs instituted by IHS Injury Prevention Specialist Fellowship graduates, whose projects have ranged from drowning prevention in Alaska to fire safety in North Dakota. The IHS training model could be applied in a variety of other community-based settings, but it is most relevant to programs that train individuals from diverse backgrounds who are not full-time students and programs that make community needs an organizational priority.

Accident Prevention↗

[A comprehensive professional evaluation of the program Obesity in French Polynesia].

A professional evaluation of the program of the fight against obesity set up by the French Polynesian Health Board for a five-year period was carried out in 2001. A comprehensive evaluation was favoured so that adjustments could be better established. Its principle is based on qualitative analysis of the speech of the 27 actors belonging to all levels of intervention and decision in the program. It aims to highlight the convergences and the deviations between what the program produced on the socio-cultural environment and their institutional or professional references. Semi-directive interviews were carried out. The results highlighted a state of uncertainty in the management of human, financial and material resources linked to the political context--awarding the necessary means for implementing the program remains unpredictable. A lack of human resources, problems of collaborating with other sectors, shortcoming skills, and structures around a methodology and forecast indicators were identified. The objectives (media campaigns, improvement in medical practice, and adaptation of a healthy and balanced food environment) were partially carried out. After a year and a half, the most remarkable result is finally that obesity problem is recognised as a public health priority by the population, professionals and decision-makers.

Adolescent↗

Model-based evaluation of HIV prevention interventions.

The ultimate goal of HIV prevention interventions is to reduce the spread of HIV; however, the effectiveness of these programs is seldom assessed directly. Although direct measurement of an intervention's impact via HIV seroincidence monitoring is usually unfeasible, mathematical models can be used to estimate the number of infections averted by the intervention. This article describes three model-based summary measures of sexually transmitted HIV risk and discusses their relevance to HIV program evaluation in general economic efficiency analyses in particular. The calculation of these measures is demonstrated with an illustrative application to previously published data from an HIV prevention intervention for gay men.

Female↗

The University of California Veterinary Student Leadership Program: comparison of a five-day with a three-day course.

Leadership skills can be learned and leadership activities can be stimulated with an effective educational program. The University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine has demonstrated and previously reported on the enthusiasm for and outcomes of their five-day leadership program for incoming veterinary students. The course was altered and again offered as a five-day program to the next veterinary class but, because of timing and limited resources, was reduced to three days the following year. Thirty students were accepted each year on a first-come first-served basis. This article compares the five-day and three-day program curricula and post-program evaluations. Although the students decided whether or not to participate, short-term effects of the programs were the introduction of a new vocabulary, improved confidence to become leaders, and stimulation of student participation in veterinary student leadership roles. A course like this can get students off to a good start, but it is very likely that to achieve a long-term effect, continued exposure throughout the veterinary curriculum is needed.

California↗

Long-term effects of the Positive Action program.

OBJECTIVE: To report long-term effectiveness of the Positive Action program. METHODS: Used matched-schools design and school-level achievement and disciplinary data to evaluate program effects on student performance and behavior in elementary schools. RESULTS: Participation in the Positive Action program improved student behavior, school involvement, and academic achievement at all 3 levels of schools, with the results showing a clear dose-response relationship. CONCLUSION: Results provide clear evidence that a coherent, comprehensive, and integrated program can have enduring effects in multiple domains.

Adolescent↗

Evaluating a training program for parental educators.

This paper describes and evaluates a training program for parental educators to teach parenting classes for families with children 1 to 5 years of age. Six staff and parent volunteers from a family resource center participated. Evaluations of the training program showed improved knowledge and increased comfort in teaching parenting classes. Two graduates of the training program led a 10-week series of parenting classes. Parents in their class series (n = 9) significantly reduced their reported use of verbal and corporal punishment, increased their nurturing, and improved their perceptions of their children's behavior. These results were similar to those from a series of similar classes for 15 parents led by a university instructor. Results are discussed in terms of research needs for training qualified parental educators.

Child Behavior Disorders↗

Teaching pharmacology to graduate nursing students: evaluation and comparison of Web-based and face-to-face methods.

As nursing schools develop Web-based courses to increase access to programs, evaluation of all aspects of these courses, from student learning to effectiveness of the course and instructor, becomes important. This article describes the evaluation of a 3-credit, semester-based, online graduate pharmacology course, and compares these student outcomes with those in the face-to-face course taught simultaneously. Eighteen students chose to participate in the Web-based course, and 52 chose to participate in the face-to-face course. The same instructor taught both courses, and the same examinations were administered. Students in the two courses were not different in age or in number of years of nursing practice prior to taking the course. There was no association between the course chosen and the type of basic nursing preparation or if the student had taken a pharmacology course in their basic nursing program. There were no significant differences between the mean examination scores of students enrolled in the two courses. Overall, students in the online course were positive about their experience. Student comments highlight the need to be aware of effectiveness of communication among faculty and students, the clarity of instructions, and the amount of information provided on course Web sites.

Adult↗

University-state hospital collaboration in an inpatient psychiatric rehabilitation program.

From 1981 until present the Department of Psychology of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has collaborated with the Lincoln Regional Center, a state hospital, on an inpatient psychiatric rehabilitation project. The University provides clinical psychology services under contract, including direct clinical services and consultation on program development. The project includes a 40-bed inpatient treatment unit, which represents a clinical training and research site for University faculty and graduate students. Program evaluation data indicate the collaboration has produced a cost-effective state-of-the-art treatment program, now considered a model for psychiatric rehabilitation services across the state. The collaboration played a key role in securing two major grants, one for specialty training for clinical psychologists in schizophrenia and psychiatric rehabilitation, one for a treatment outcome study. Facilitating factors in the project include convergence of the collaborators' professional and research interests with national and state mental health policy. Obstacles include hospital administrative policies which fail to recognize or appreciate requirements for program management and accountability, and unwillingness to recognize program leadership from nonmedical professionals.

Academies and Institutes↗

Using electronic portfolios to measure student achievement and assess curricular integrity.

Successful achievement of program outcomes is the primary goal of nursing education programs. Electronic portfolios are a contemporary method by which to measure student achievement, assess curricular efficacy, and evaluate program integrity in nursing education. The authors outline the sequential process of understanding, introducing, and integrating electronic portfolios into a curriculum.

Computer-Assisted Instruction↗

Community needs and strengths assessments as an active learning project.

The Community Needs and Strengths Assessment Project (CNSAP) incorporated development of needs and strengths assessment research into an undergraduate Community Health course as an active learning project--one of seven principles for effective practice in undergraduate education. Community needs and strengths assessments prove useful to health educators primarily in planning programs and promoting effective public relations. Assessments also help to identify and diagnose health problems and to evaluate programs. Through the CNSAP students completed a process health educators use to identify gaps between current and required programs and to prioritize assets and resources based on community needs and strengths. The CNSAP focused on mastery of four skills required for completing a needs and strengths assessment: identifying data sources, conducting primary data collection from a target audience, analyzing data and prioritizing identified needs and strengths, and abstracting information concisely. The project, which included substantial community involvement, helped students identify needs and strengths necessary for addressing community health problems and concerns.

Adult↗

Health surveillance: effective components of a successful program.

1. Using the nursing process, the occupational health nurse plays a key role in the health surveillance of workers at risk for exposure to chemical, biological, or physical hazards. 2. To implement and manage a successful occupational surveillance program, the occupational health nurse must be familiar with walk through procedures, test selection and interpretation issues, toxicology and epidemiology concepts and budgeting processes. 3. Employee education and program evaluation are integral and ongoing components of a comprehensive occupational health surveillance program. Anticipation of legal and ethical problems is also critical during the design, implementation, and evaluation of the program. 4. Quality data collection and management aid the occupational health nurse in decision making and accurate and timely record keeping.

Data Collection↗

Doing Our Part So Kids Don't Start. An evaluation of a statewide public awareness campaign.

This article describes outcomes related to the product and process involved in an evaluation of one component of a statewide public awareness campaign, the Doing Our Part So Kids Don't Start toolkit. The campaign was designed to garner support for and to increase compliance with a recent Minnesota law intended to reduce youth access to tobacco. More than 35,000 toolkits were distributed statewide. The results of the evaluation suggest that the toolkit was successful in reaching and engaging its target audience and should be considered a good strategy for disseminating information to a wide variety of individuals, particularly those new to tobacco control, and for encouraging them to participate in preventing tobacco use among youth. Future American Cancer Society endeavors would benefit from considering the needs of both the program planner and program evaluator before implementing new projects or programs.

Adolescent↗

The results framework--an innovative tool for program planning and evaluation.

This article constitutes a case study of the development and implementation of the "results framework," an innovative planning and evaluation tool that is rapidly becoming a standard requirement for United States Agency for International Development (USAID) projects. The framework is used in a USAID-funded regional initiative for HIV/AIDS prevention in Central America. This new program evaluation and monitoring tool provides many advantages over traditional evaluation approaches that use outside consultants to provide midterm and end-of-project evaluations. The results-framework process, which spans the life of the project, provides an opportunity for program staff, donors, partners, and evaluators to work as a team to collect and use rich, longitudinal data for project planning, implementation, and evaluation purposes.

Central America↗

Challenges in evaluating rural health programs.

Complex community-based prevention programs are being held to scientific evidence of their effectiveness and rural public health departments that implement such programs often are not equipped to evaluate them. Rural public health departments are fettered by small budgets, small staffs, and less access to evaluation experts and similar resources. Community-based health promotion programs can include complex designs that may work differently in rural areas and evaluation of rural programs can be hampered by lack of control groups and the instability of results from small populations. The University of Kentucky has entered into a contract with the state Department for Public Health to implement an internal, participatory model of evaluation. In this model, the university evaluation expert trains local public health department staff in technical skills for program evaluation and acts as mentor and technical consultant to local public health departments on an ongoing basis. Through training and site visits, this model is one approach to addressing the challenges of evaluating rural health promotion programs.

Community Health Services↗