Defining the Research population
In this step, the population that is intended for the program is identified. For instance, the population may consist of old people, people between certain ages and even population in regards to their gender. In most cases, it is usually a minority group that is being investigated. It may also be people suffering from particular illnesses such as alcoholism, any mental illnesses, tuberculosis etc. the social worker has the responsibility of choosing or identifying the criteria of the health problems that they will deal with and in which particular area. The area may have a preventable disease a disability or even suffer from immature death (DiClemente, 2013). The differences between the chosen population and the rest of the people have to be clearly established, and reasons for the differences established as well. This framework should also identify the issues that have an impact on the minority group whether they are positive or negative especially in regards to their health.
After choosing the population, they should develop the plans that will specify the particular problem that the chosen population shares. The researcher has to be able to collect previous data on such population and how they have been handled before. It also helps the social worker or public health officer to understand the problem better and to make informed decisions about the next steps to be taken (Rychetnik L, 2002). Data collected previously is a great tool in understanding the problem at hand and enables the public health officer gain tips in regards to what works and what does not work. In cases where the problem is meant to fill the gap, the public health officer has the responsibility of finding out how the problem started in the first place. The issue may also be concerned about making the selected population why they are undergoing the evaluation process.
Identifying Stakeholders and Collaborators
The people who will be involved and are affected either directly or indirectly with the research will have to be informed and recognized. First and foremost is the population that is being used. They are important because, without them, the research would not even happen in the first place. Next there is a group of researcher if they are many. They are important because any information that they can obtain should be synced and evaluated (Rychetnik L, 2002). Besides having many researchers working on one project, increases the chances of success in what is being evaluated. It is because they are likely to come up with different issues that some of the researchers may have overlooked. It means that they will get a lot of information on the subject and hence possible solutions to the problems identified.
Another important stakeholder would be the doctors and the nurses in the hospitals. It is widely known and understood that hospitals have the best records of diseases and illnesses in a particular area. It is because many ill people seek treatment from the hospitals. The results that are found in the study give the doctors and the nurses a platform for improving their services and to ensure that they learn from the previous decisions it is also important for them as this is the way that new discoveries are made (Rychetnik L, 2002). Doctors and nurses are human beings who may have been making a mistake with the patients without recognizing it and the data collected may act as an eye opener for them so as to treat people better. The government is an important stakeholder in any public health research. The duty of the government is to ensure that all the patients are in good health and those who are ill are treated effectively. The government plans on the medication that they are meant to take and to plan public service in accordance to the data they have been given. The government in this case may also be the body concerned with providing funds for the said project. In this case they are entitled to the findings of the research and the conclusions of the study.
Defining evaluation objective
The researcher sought to identify why they are carrying out the research in the first place. For instance, they should choose if the aim of their research is to make the situation better by providing medicine to the affected group. Another objective could be maybe to plan better and for the government needs to plan for its citizens. It is mostly the case where the major stakeholder is the government or other international bodies (Rychetnik L, 2002). It is important that the researcher knows what the findings will be used for to identify how they will present their findings. Another reason could be so that they can find better ways of treating the patients and to increase awareness about the issue at hand. If the objective of the evaluation is to raise awareness, then it is important for the people to understand the causes, symptoms, impact of illness on their lives and how it will affect the other people around them. They are also taught on ways of avoiding the disease and ensuring that they are safe at all times.
The other steps include the data collection plan. In this case, the researcher has to have an appropriate method of collecting data. For instance, collecting data through the use of questionnaires may prove to be more effective that through the use of interviews (DiClemente, 2013). The important thing is for the researcher to identify the best method that will work with her or his group and use it. The next step involves analyzing the data that has been collected from the population. The researcher ought to have come up with methods of ensuring that the data can be analyzed as easily as possible. The data is to be presented in the simplest way possible for everyone to be able to understand the statistics.
The next step will be to discuss the findings and establish whether they are appropriate with the research that was carried out and also to figure out if any improvements have to be made on the research. There are some areas that may have been missed during the research, and it is important to ensure that they are well taken handled. The next step is to ensure that all the mistakes are catered for and are corrected to ensure that the findings are as accurate as they should be (DiClemente, 2013). The next step is to ensure that the findings are discussed and agreed upon by all the stakeholders and the collaborators involved in the project. The last step is to ensure that the recommendations of the research are implemented effectively and to ensure that the research was not a waste of time and resources. The implementation stage is usually the hardest part of the evaluation research. It is because this is where the real work begins. The public health officials will have to be taught about the new way of doing things and ensure that they are carried out as they have been recommended.
References
DiClemente, R. S. (2013). Health Behavior Theory: for Public Health. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Rychetnik L, F. M. (2002). Criteria for evaluating evidence on public health interventions. J Epidemiol Community Health , 119–127.
