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Exploring influences on evaluation practice: a case study of a national physical activity programme.
Judith F Fynn1, Wendy Hardeman2, Karen Milton3
1UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR) and Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK. j.fynn@uea.ac.uk.
The International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
|February 17, 2021
Summary
Evaluating public health interventions like the Get Healthy Get Active (GHGA) program is crucial. This study found that program design, partnerships, and organizational systems significantly influence evaluation effectiveness, highlighting the need for better integration and feedback loops.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Promotion
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Physical activity interventions are key to public health policy.
- Evaluating 'real-world' interventions is challenging but essential for informing practice.
- Limited evidence exists on the effectiveness of evaluation guidelines in practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore influences on evaluation practices within the Sport England 'Get Healthy Get Active' (GHGA) programme.
- To appraise the effectiveness of strategies intended to facilitate project evaluation, such as standardized frameworks and data collection methods.
- To assess if these strategies generated evidence to meet the programme's aims of increasing physical activity and improving health.
Main Methods:
- Collective case study design involving 35 semi-structured interviews.
- Documentary analysis of evidence from 23 physical activity projects.
- Thematic and framework analysis, logic modeling, and narrative synthesis.
Main Results:
- Five key themes influenced evaluation practices: programme/project design, evaluation design, partnerships, resources, and organizational structures/systems.
- These influences act as context-specific barriers and facilitators.
- Complex interactions among these factors shape evaluation outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Understanding influences on evaluation practice is vital to bridge the evidence-practice gap.
- Organizational structures and systems are critical for facilitating collaboration, integration, knowledge transfer, and rapid feedback.
- Improved systems are needed for effective commissioning and evaluation of public health interventions.
