MPH5022 · Evaluating public health programs

Overview

Program evaluation is important for measuring the effect of public health programs and determining their influence on longer-term health outcomes. It also provides valuable evidence to improve the delivery, reach and impact of public health strategies. This unit will enable you to design evaluations that are suitable for a range of public health and disease prevention programs. You will conduct evaluation planning based on theoretical approaches and best-practice principles. Levels of evaluation will be examined, as well as the range of quantitative and qualitative data collection methods suitable for the different contexts and stakeholders involved in public health practice. The unit will equip you with the skills to choose appropriate methods for data collection, as well as use suitable evaluation frameworks, tools and resources specific to public health and disease prevention programs. There will be exploration and discussion of the evaluation challenges posed by the complexities of public health action and the contexts in which it is carried out.

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Assessment in this unit includes h urdle assessment tasks. Failure of any hurdle assessment task may result in failure of the unit.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.

Learning outcomes

1. Discuss and investigate how evaluations measure the effect of public health programs, and explain the importance of evaluations in terms of influencing long-term public health outcomes.
2. Apply design features to various public health programs, including critically evaluating differing theoretical approaches to evaluation design.
3. Distinguish the different levels of evaluation, and consider how they work together to provide a comprehensive assessment of a program.
4. Construct evaluation designs to measure public health programs that are specific to stakeholder priorities and objectives.
5. Select evaluation methods appropriate to an evaluation design, including applying tools and resources specific to public health promotion.
6. Create an evaluation plan that is tailored to a specific public health program, which critically communicates the scope of the evaluation and how it will be delivered.

Workload

6 hours of teacher-directed learning activities per week, and 6 hours of self-directed study per week. There is an expectation that you will attend 3 on-campus Block Days.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.