Health Program Evaluation 2

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2009:

Distance: Approximately 120 hours per semester including the seminars

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject provides an extension of studies in Health Program Evaluation introduced in Health Program Evaluation 1. Its focus is particularly on issues relating to the selection & development of the preferred program evaluation approach for a particular health program. It does so from an applied, practical perspective with the view that students completing the subject should be able to apply the necessary skills in making this selection to a moderately advanced level. Epistemological issues concerning the construction of knowledge as they apply to the practice of evaluation will be explored. The implications for the utilisation and take-up of the findings of evaluation studies will be considered at length. Different types of study design (in conjunction with relevant data analysis issues) for different types of health program will be described and will include clinical treatment programs, health promotion programs and innovative service delivery programs in primary care. Students will be given an exercise in selecting an evaluation approach and study design type for a program at the stage when a tender to evaluate it has been advertised. A large-scale and complex health program evaluation will be considered and will form the basis for student discussion of all issues that form the focus of the subject. Practical issues around project management & research funding on the one hand and higher degrees & careers in research on the other will also be discussed.

On completion of the subject students will be able to:

• Discuss issues relating to the selection and development of the preferred program evaluation approach for a particular health program to an advanced level
• Discuss epistemological issues relating to the selection of a preferred program evaluation approach and the utilisation of its findings
• Describe the main design options and important associated data collection and analysis issues constituting the range of health program evaluation approaches
• Apply skills in the selection of the preferred evaluation design in common types of programs in the health sector to a moderately advanced level.

Two minor assignments of 1000 words each (10% & 15%) set in weeks 3, 5 or 7 and a major assignment (75%).

Ovretveit, J, Evaluating Health Interventions, Buckingham, Open University Press, 1998.

Special Computer Requirements: Distance students are required to have access to a computer with e-mail application, Web browser and CD ROM facility. Technical support is not available from the University of Melbourne in setting up such a system.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

This subject is a Group 1 elective in the Master of Public Health.