Evaluating Health Interventions: An Introduction to Evaluation of Health Treatments, Services, Policies and Organizational Interventions

Evaluating Health Interventions: An Introduction to Evaluation of Health Treatments, Services, Policies and Organizational Interventions Author: OVRETVEIT, John (Nordic School of Public Health); Bibliographic Data: (ISBN: 0-335-19964-X, Open University Press, 1998, $34.95) 324 pages, soft cover. Audience 1: Health Care Researchers Audience 2: Health Policy Specialists Other Info: The book contains black-and-white illustrations. DESCRIPTION: This book discusses the concepts and practical applications of health evaluation at the program or policy level. PURPOSE: The purpose is to increase the reader's ability to carry out a simple evaluation and to understand and appraise reports of different types of evaluation. The book provides the transition from a strong theoretical and inquiring approach about the concept and purpose of evaluation to practical applications of concepts. An overarching theme is to argue that evaluation theory and techniques may be cross-fertilized or used between focus areas of evaluation in health. Some areas discussed include treatments, services, policies, programs, and management of healthcare organizations. It introduces the reader to other concepts, including measurement, quality, and outcomes as they relate to evaluation. AUDIENCE: The target audiences are broadly identified by the author as health practitioners, service managers, policy makers, purchasers, teachers, and researchers. In an effort to meet the needs of this broad audience, the discussion of concepts and explanations is underdeveloped, and there is an implicit assumption that readers understand how evaluation fits into quality improvement, a main focus of U.S. healthcare organizations. This may be a result of the author's experience base from the public health systems of Britain and Norway. FEATURES: Fourteen chapters cover applied evaluation from differing contexts and several appendixes provide practical frameworks for conducting evaluations and project evaluation designs for the reader. Clear and useful illustrations are provided. ASSESSMENT: This book may bring further understanding to how fundamental research design and methods principles relate to program and policy evaluation in health for some readers. It may also be useful to individuals who are responsible for program evaluation or for conducting applied research within healthcare settings. This is a good library reference to review when designing program evaluation projects. SCORE: Weighted Numerical Score: 80 - *** Reviewed by: Kimberly A. Galt, PharmD, FASHP (Creighton University Medical Center)