286677
Stakeholder perspectives: Utilizing empowerment evaluation and thematic content analysis to evaluate a community-based preconception care program
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Linda Lloyd, PhD,
School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX
Beatrice J. Selwyn, ScD,
Management, Policy and Community Health, University of Texas Houston School of Public Health, Houston, TX
Sheryl A. McCurdy, PhD,
School of Public Health, University of Texas Houston Health Sciences Center, Houston, TX
BACKGROUND: The life course perspective promotes interventions during the preconception period as being more effective than those implemented during pregnancy in terms of improving birth outcomes. A participatory evaluation of a community-based preconception care program was conducted to determine the most important program components as targets for program improvement. METHODS: This two-phased empowerment evaluation (EE) included all stakeholder groups (23 program participants, 4 program facilitators, 8 program planners and implementers). Five EE sessions were held. Each stakeholder group determined the purpose of the program from their perspective, identified the five program components most important in terms of achieving that purpose, and set goals to improve each component. The top five overall program components were determined based on the rank score of each component identified in the five sessions. Observation notes were taken throughout the process. Thematic content analysis was conducted on all tables from EE sessions and observation notes. RESULTS: The top five program components overall were: physical activity, nutrition, knowing self-worth, in-class interaction/communication, and recognizing/handling stress. Thematic content analysis identified social support, education, classroom environment, and mental health as important aspects of the program. In terms of program improvement, change to a healthy lifestyle, education, communication, participant-driven curriculum, and strategies/tools to promote healthy habits emerged as important themes. CONCLUSION: There were similarities across groups, but different stakeholder groups prioritized different program components and emerging themes varied. Including all stakeholders in program evaluation allows for various stakeholder perspectives to be considered as the program is modified and improved for continuation.
Learning Areas:
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Learning Objectives:
List the three steps of empowerment evaluation.
Define each of the three steps of empowerment evaluation.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of participatory evaluation of health programs.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of qualitative evaluation of health programs.
Keyword(s): Community-Based Health Promotion, Evaluation
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the principal investigator for the study described in this abstract. This study is my dissertation and culmination of my DrPH studies in Community Health Practice, with minors in Maternal and Child Health, Epidemiology, and a Global Health Concentration. With support from my dissertation committee (co-authors) and the community organization implementing the program, I led this evaluation and analyzed all data.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines,
and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed
in my presentation.
