Ecological Models

1. A Primer on Evaluation Drs. Chris Liang and Raymond ScottClaremont YMP Steering CommitteeOctober 23, 2006

2. Ecological Models Brief Description: Ecological Models are comprehensive health promotion models that are multifaceted, concerned with environmental change, behavior, and policy that help individuals make healthy choices in their daily lives.

3. Ecological Models Purpose: Ecological Models address multiple levels of behavior influence, leading to a more comprehensive approach to bolstering one’s quality of life. Ecological models provide a mechanism for linking youth, family, and resources by emphasizing a shared framework for change targeted at individual behaviors and the environment. This may lead to improved program effectiveness.

4. Ecological Models: Characteristics • Multiple dimensions of influence on behaviors Interpersonal factors, social and cultural environments, and physical environments can influence health behaviors • Interaction of influences across dimensions.  To be useful in designing studies and interventions, the model should predict how the categories of behavior determinants interact. • Multiple levels of environmental influences.  Natural environments: weather, geography climate. Constructed environments: homes worksites, local communities • Environments directly influence behaviors.  Environment: space outside the individual. Ecology: interrelations between organisms and their environments

5. Ecological Models: Working Constructs • Behaviors are influenced by intrapersonal, social, cultural, and physical environment variables • Variables are likely to interact • Need to address variables at multiple levels to understand and change health behaviors • Levels of Influence: Individual, Interpersonal, Organizational, Community, and Public Policy.

6. Microsystem

7. Mesosystem

8. Macrosystem

9. Ecological Model for Assessment Formulate statements of intended outcomes Discuss and use assessment results to improve outcomes Develop or select Assessment measures Create experiences leading to outcomes

10. Example: Ecologically Based Strategy

11. Assessment and Evaluation Program Evaluation Needs Assessment A process by which an assessment of the current situation in the community is undertaken, value-based judgments regarding the preferred or desired situation are reached, and some determination of the priority status of local needs is made.

12. Assessment and Evaluation Program Evaluation Evaluation is defined as the application of one or more among a broad range of strategies that produces knowledge to systematically assess and improve the planning, implementation, and effectiveness of programs aimed at addressing quality of life issues. Needs Assessment A process by which an assessment of the current situation in the community is undertaken, value-based judgments regarding the preferred or desired situation are reached, and some determination of the priority status of local needs is made.

13. Why Engage in Evaluation? • Reduces uncertainty about an issue/problem.  • Identifies both strengths and weaknesses. • Can be used as a baseline data • For Program Planning and Improvement • For more effective and efficient use of resources. • Adds credibility to your program. • Educates others about your program. • Garners additional resources and funding.

14. Program Life and Evaluation StageEvaluation Approach Planning Stage Needs Assessment Foundational PeriodFormative Research Relevancy Testing

15. Program Life and Evaluation StageEvaluation Approach Planning Stage Needs Assessment Foundational PeriodFormative Research Relevancy Testing Initial Implementation Stage Formative Evaluation Program Begins Program Review/Development Meeting

16. Program Life and Evaluation StageEvaluation Approach Planning Stage Needs Assessment Foundation PeriodFormative Research Relevancy Testing Initial Implementation Stage Formative Evaluation Program Begins Program Review/Development Meeting Mature Implementation Stage Formative Evaluation Program Settles into Routine Process Monitoring Fidelity Evaluation Theory Driven Process Evaluation

17. Program Life and Evaluation StageEvaluation Approach Planning Stage Needs Assessment Foundational PeriodFormative Research Relevancy Testing Initial Implementation Stage Formative Evaluation Program Begins Program Review/Development Meeting Mature Implementation Stage Formative Evaluation Program Settles into Routine Process Monitoring Fidelity Evaluation Theory Driven Process Evaluation Outcome Stage Efficacy Evaluation Effectiveness Evaluation Theory Driven Outcome Evaluation

18. Six Ways of Gathering Information • Indicator Approach • Survey Approach • Key Informant Approach • Community Forum • Focus Group Interview • Delphi Technique

19. Indicator Approach Indicator approaches include social indicators and indicators of service utilization that likely reflect problems that a community might be experiencing. Typically indicator data have already been collected and the researcher's job is to access them and put them together in a way that is meaningful and useful.

20. Survey Approach Information is gathered through a carefully developed instrument administered to individuals identified via a sampling procedure.

21. Key Informant Approach This approach identifies community leaders (formal and informal) and decision makers who are knowledgeable about the community and can accurately identify priority needs and concerns.

22. Community Forum Approach A public meeting, in which all members of the community are encouraged to attend, is held during which time the participants discuss: 1. what some of the needs facing the community are; 2. what some of the priority needs are, and 3. what can be done about these priority needs.

23. Focus Group Approach A group of people selected for their particular skills, experience, views, or position are asked a series of questions about a topic or issue to gather their opinions. Group interaction is used to obtain detailed information about a particular issue.

24. Delphi Technique This is a structured approach that uses a series of questionnaires and summarized feedback reports from preceding responses that allows for the generation and clarification of ideas; reaching consensus, prioritizing, and making decisions on alternate actions.

25. Assessment Phases of YMP Update Begin collecting demographic and other technical data (May - September 2006) Convene the first meeting of the YMP Steering Committee (early summer 2006) Host youth and family vote with data acquired to be used for present and future quality of life measurement (Fall 2006) Working group from YMP Steering Committee, staff and consultants develop draft final document (January 2007) Draft final document reviewed and approved by YMP Steering Committee (February 2007) Final report approved by YMP Steering Committee and presented to community at Joint Meeting of Board of Education and City Council (late February or early March 2007)

26. Questions?