Types of Evaluation |
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Process |
Outcome |
Questions Asked |
What has been accomplished? What is being delivered? To whom, and how? Was the intervention put into place as originally intended? Is the intervention using resources appropriately and efficiently? |
What outcomes were observed? What do these outcomes mean? Does the intervention work? What works better? Are outcomes products of the intervention, as opposed to other factors in the community? |
Outcomes |
Staff training Retention rates Recruitment rates Client demographics Adherence to protocol Protocol issues and changes Number of referrals |
Biological: HIV incidence, STD incidence Behavioral: primary - elimination of risk behaviors, reduction of risk behaviors, increase in protective behaviors; complementary - testing, drug treatment, disclosure Psychological: HIV knowledge, self-efficacy, changing social norms |
Designs |
Direct observation Surveys of providers and clients Monitoring administration records Record keeping Service inventories |
Non-experimental: pre-post measurements Quasi-experimental: comparison group; matched controls Randomized: randomization from one population, comparable controls |
Staffing Requirements |
Trained in sensitive data collection Uniformed record keeping Data inventory |
Trained in sensitive data collection Uniformed record keeping Advanced data inventory Knowledge of intervening variable measurement and analysis |
Methodological Issues |
Timing of data collection/follow-up periods Quality of data collection instruments Study size |
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Process evaluation ensures that the intervention is being carried out according to plan and identifies areas that can be improved while the intervention is going on. Process evaluation measures how intervention activities are being provided, who is participating in the activities and how much resources are required to provide the activities.
Outcome evaluation assesses the degree to which the intervention met its goals and objectives. Outcome evaluation measures main intervention objectives and short-term and long-term changes in outcome measures, such as positive changes in HIV knowledge, prevention attitudes and beliefs, and protective behaviors. It also determines which elements of the intervention proved most effective and what improvements need to be made. Evaluation at the completion of the intervention provides evidence that the intervention had a positive impact on the target population.