Measurement and effectiveness methodological considerations, issues and possible solutions

Abstract

Effectiveness of interventions in health promotion (HP) is often difficult to articulate, assess, and measure because the outcomes of any policy, program or intervention are often far distant in time from the intervention. Moreover, the observed outcomes may be further complicated by interactions (or effects) from other HP efforts or as a result of the "natural" evolution or "history" of the phenomena upon which a HP intervention takes place. Indeed, changes over time are difficult to detect measure and evaluate. This chapter concentrates on some of the measurement issues.