Health Program Evaluation 2

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

170 hours

POPH90231 can be taken concurrently

None

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For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.
The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website.

This subject provides an extension of studies in Health Program Evaluation introduced in Health Program Evaluation 1, aiming to deepen the students understanding of the conceptual bases of evaluation and extend practical skills. Its focus is particularly on issues relating to the selection and development of an appropriate evaluation approach and methods for a particular health program, policy or service. The subject provides an initial grounding in the theoretical origins of program evaluation, contemporary approaches to evaluation as well as implementation science and knowledge translation. The subject then considers the development of an evaluation approach and design from an applied perspective. Case-studies of evaluations will be presented to provide an opportunity to consider theoretical, methodological and practical issues associated with the conduct of complex health program evaluations. Students will have an opportunity to develop evaluation proposals in response to real world funding and policy settings.

On completion of the subject the student should be able to:

• Discuss contemporary evaluation theory and its application in evaluation, implementation and knowledge transfer;
• Develop an understanding of the contexts in which evaluation is used and how this informs the evaluation approach selected and the role of evaluator and other agents in the evaluation process;
• Discuss issues relating to the selection and development of the preferred program evaluation approach for a particular health program to an advanced level;
• Discuss theoretical issues relating to the selection of a preferred program evaluation approach and the utilisation of its findings;
• Describe and discuss the purpose and methods of appraisal of evidence relevant to evaluation of public health programs and policies;
• Describe the main design options and important associated data collection and analysis issues constituting the range of health program evaluation approaches; and
• Apply skills in the selection of the preferred evaluation design in common types of programs in the health sector to a moderately advanced level.

• One minor assignment of 1,200 words (15%) due in week 4
• One minor assignment of 1,500 words (20%) due in week 7
• One major assignment of 3,000 words (65%) due in the examination period

Owen, J.M. Program Evaluation: Forms and Approaches, 3rd Edition, St. Leonards, Allen & Unwin, 2006.

Ovretveit, J. (2002). Action evaluation of health programmes and changes: a handbook for a user. Abingdon: Radcliffe Medical Press

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Upon completion of this subject, students will have developed skills in:

• Critical thinking and analysis,
• Initiative, autonomy and organization,
• Problem-solving,
• Finding, evaluating and using relevant information,
• Written communication,
• Decision-making.