Examples for Assessing Program Effectiveness Through Evaluation
Recruitment for Study Participants
Researchers collaborated with clergy and community leaders who encouraged community members’ participation by word-of-mouth and hosted focus groups or individual interviews at respective churches or community centers.
Examples of Ways to Recruit Individuals to Participate in a Study
It is important to recruit individuals who are members of the target audiences to ensure that the FCA communications are reaching and impacting them. Partners can help agencies do this. Examples:
- Women who recently gave birth within a particular timeframe (e.g., 3 months, 6 months, etc.).
- State Birth Certificate Registries can be a source to find members of this target audience
- Pregnant women
- Visit obstetric offices Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
- WIC staff can post fliers in multiple languages prior to survey administration Licensed anglers
- Database of licensed angler registry (may be available from state departments of the environment or natural resources)
For more information, refer to National Risk Communication Conference Proceedings Document, Fish consumption and advisory awareness among low-income women in California's Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, Fish Consumption and Fish Advisory Awareness among Minnesota Women Who Recently Gave Birth (PDF).
Tool - Target Audience Surveys
Target Audience surveys are an important tool for both process and outcome evaluations of FCA communication programs. Use surveys to help identify the following:
- The characteristics of those who have been reached - how well do they match the characteristics of the target audiences?
- How the target audience reacted to the FCA materials - were materials easy to understand? Useful?
- How the target audience used the materials - were materials read? Passed on to others? Saved? Were events attended?
- Has the target audience taken any action in response to the messages and activities?
This information will help determine whether the target audiences are being reached, whether materials or activities need to be revised, and whether materials are being used as intended by the FCA issuing agency. Some managers also use these surveys to learn what information target audiences would like to receive in the future.
For more information, refer to Making Health Communications Programs Work.