Steps to a HealthierUS Cooperative Agreement Program: Foundational Elements for Program Evaluation Planning, Implementation, and Use of Findings

摘要

The Steps to a HealthierUS Cooperative Agreement Program (Steps Program)enables funded communities to implement chronic disease prevention and healthpromotion efforts to reduce the burden of diabetes, obesity, asthma, and relatedrisk factors. At both the national and community levels, investment insurveillance and program evaluation is substantial. Public health practitionersengaged in program evaluation planning often identify desired outcomes, relatedindicators, and data collection methods but may pay only limited attention to anoverarching vision for program evaluation among participating sites. We developed a set of foundational elements to provide a vision of program evaluation that informs the technical decisions made throughout the evaluationprocess. Given the diversity of activities across the Steps Program andthe need for coordination between national- and community-level evaluationefforts, our recommendations to guide program evaluation practice areexplicit yet leave room for site-specific context and needs. Staff across the Steps Program mustconsider these foundational elements to prepare a formal plan for programevaluation. Attention to each element moves the Steps Program closer towell-designed and complementary plans for program evaluation at the national, state, andcommunity levels.