Health Program Evaluation 2

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2012:

120 hours

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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. It focuses on issues relating to the selection and development of a preferred evaluation approach for a particular health program or policy. While it does so from an applied, practical perspective, key theoretical underpinnings of different evaluation approaches are also examined. Different types of evaluation design (in conjunction with relevant data collection and analysis issues) for different types of health programs and policies will be examined and will include clinical treatment programs, health promotion policies and programs and innovative service delivery programs in primary care. 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:

• Identify and critically appraise methodological issues relating to selection and development of a program evaluation approach for a particular health program or policy;
• Critically appraise theoretical issues relating to the selection of an appropriate evaluation approach and the utilisation of its findings;
• Describe the main design options and associated data collection and analysis issues constituting the range of health program evaluation approaches; and
• Apply skills in the selection and development of an appropriate evaluation design to programs and policies in the health sector .

Two minor assignments of 1,000 words each (20% each) due in weeks 4 and 7; a major assignment of 3,000 words (60%) due in the examination period

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

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

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.