Best Practices in Evaluating Public Health Projects: From Metrics to Meaningful Change

Chosen theme: Best Practices in Evaluating Public Health Projects. Welcome to a space where evaluation becomes practical, ethical, and transformative—so evidence can drive better decisions, stronger programs, and healthier communities. Join the conversation, share your experiences, and subscribe for actionable insights.

From Theory of Change to Logic Model

Build a transparent chain from inputs to outcomes using a theory of change, then translate it into a logic model. This ensures everyone shares a mental map of how activities are expected to produce measurable, equitable health improvements.

Choosing Indicators that Matter

Prioritize a concise set of indicators that reflect meaningful change, not just easy-to-count outputs. Blend clinical metrics with behavioral, experiential, and equity indicators to capture the full story of public health progress.

Balancing Rigor with Real-World Constraints

Select designs that fit available resources and timelines while preserving credibility. When randomized trials are impossible, consider quasi-experimental approaches and robust qualitative triangulation to keep insights trustworthy and actionable.

Centering Equity in Every Evaluation

Analyze results by race, ethnicity, language, geography, disability, and socioeconomic status to uncover inequities masked by averages. Let these insights inform tailored strategies, not one-size-fits-all conclusions.

Centering Equity in Every Evaluation

Co-create evaluation questions with community partners so findings reflect local priorities. Share interpretation sessions and co-author summaries to ensure the narrative honors context, strengths, and community-defined success.

Understanding Outcomes, Impact, and Attribution

Distinguish outputs like workshops delivered from outcomes such as increased vaccination uptake. Tie short-term shifts to longer-term health improvements using milestones, sentinel indicators, and periodic validation against external data.

Understanding Outcomes, Impact, and Attribution

Use difference-in-differences, interrupted time series, or propensity score matching when randomization is impractical. Clearly state assumptions, conduct sensitivity analyses, and triangulate with qualitative insights to strengthen attribution.

Process Evaluation and Implementation Fidelity

Track adherence to protocols with respectful observation, checklists, and reflective interviews. Use findings to support, not punish, teams, creating a culture where quality and learning come first.

Process Evaluation and Implementation Fidelity

Capture context-driven changes to timing, content, or delivery channels. Label adaptations, assess their rationale, and evaluate their effects so good ideas can be scaled and risky deviations corrected.

Economic Perspectives that Inform Decisions

Use activity-based costing to capture staff time, supplies, transportation, and overhead. Distinguish start-up from steady-state costs and document in-kind contributions to reveal the full financial picture.

Economic Perspectives that Inform Decisions

Calculate cost per outcome gained, and when possible, use QALYs to compare across interventions. Pair numbers with narratives so decision-makers grasp both value and human consequences.

Data Stories that Travel

Pair statistics with human stories—like a grandmother who finally accesses screening after a redesigned outreach. Stories make numbers memorable, persuasive, and shareable across teams and communities.

Visualizations that Clarify, Not Confuse

Use simple charts with consistent scales, clear baselines, and annotations that guide interpretation. Highlight the meaningful change rather than every fluctuation, and invite feedback to refine clarity.

Briefs, One-Pagers, and Timely Feedback

Deliver concise briefs and real-time summaries tailored to each audience. Provide actionable recommendations, not just results, and invite readers to comment, subscribe, and request tools they need next.

Real Stories from the Field

An urban clinic noticed spikes in no-shows every payday Friday. A rapid process evaluation uncovered work-hour conflicts; shifting clinic hours and adding SMS reminders improved coverage by ten points within a month. Share your own scheduling insights below.

Real Stories from the Field

Initial surveys showed low participation. Qualitative interviews revealed stigma at the entrance. Co-designing a welcoming space with peer navigators tripled return visits. Subscribe for templates on conducting respectful co-design sessions.