Evaluation

When can we see population-level behavior change?

Population-level change requires long-term and sustained strategies, funding and legislation.

Image

Long-term success is built on incremental change. For example, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services outlines the numerous smoking and health milestones over 130 years that contributed to the incline and decline in adult cigarette consumption. Strategies impacting the decrease in consumption varied in scope and included health messaging like the 1964 Surgeon General's report on smoking linking smoking and cancer and health and warning label requirements, legislative action like advertising bans and cigarette taxes and cessation initiatives like nicotine replacement gum and patches and other quit resources. 

A single strategy may have negligible change on a population-level, but in combination with a number of strategies from a variety of angles over decades can result in significant change.

What can program evaluations tell us?

Program evaluations tells us what parts of the program work well and what to change so that the program works better.

When can we see short-term behavior change?

It takes time from when funding is allocated to when new programs are implemented. Evaluation resources are also limited and must be prioritized. Depending on the timeline, evaluations may show short-term impacts on the people directly served by the program.