This course introduces quantitative tools to evaluate programs and public health policies in the context of urban health. The course provides hands-on training in the theoretical approach and practical application of evaluation methodology, ranging from methodologically rigorous quasi-experimental designs (including novel applications of the Differences-in-Differences design) to small tests of changing using a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) approach. We will overview how to conduct various study design and analytical approaches, and the strengths and weaknesses of these methods.
The course is designed to prepare practitioners and academics to identify appropriate approaches and quantitative methods for evaluating programs and policies, and to determine when, how, and under what circumstances an evaluation should be conducted. Course activities will include discussions about the strengths and weaknesses of various methods, problem sets practicing analysis methods, and presentations critically reviewing published evaluation studies. This course will not cover qualitative or participatory methods, or methods of metric creation, identifying target populations, data collection and measurement error.
After completing this course, participants will be able to:
- Understand the fundamentals and applications of policy and program evaluation.
- Understand the most common methodological approaches used to evaluate policies and programs in public health, and strengths and limitations of each approach.
- Critically assess the appropriate study design and analysis method, based on the policy context, data availability, stakeholder buy-in, and timeline.
Prerequisite knowledge: Basic knowledge of statistics, probability, and regression techniques is required for this course.
Technical requirements: Instructors will use R and Stata software to demonstrate analytical approaches used in program and policy evaluation. Access to R or Stata is recommended if participants want to follow along but not required. R free software is available for participants to install on their computers. Code will be provided in the course material.
Continuing Education Credits*: 1.5 CEU or 15 CPH