Towards a framework for outcome assessment of health intervention

Abstract
We provide a framework for assessing the outcome of community-based intervention programmes for the promotion of cardiovascular health at local level. Particular attention is therefore given to conceptual components connected with community participation in health programmes and to methodological approaches in the evaluation of cardiovascular disease (CVD)-prevention programmes. In a search of the literature covering more than 20 years (1966–1988) in 2 databases (MEDLINE and SOCA), we found that the concepts of ‘community participation’ and ‘community involvement’ have mainly been used during the latter half of the study period. The concepts were often used interchangeably and with no statement as to their precise meanings. The methodological examination of 2 well-known community-based CVO-preventive programmes revealed that most of the scientific papers from these programmes dealt with health behavioural and/or medical effects. The suggested framework presented in this study is designed as a longitudinal process analysis focusing on critical key steps along the path from input to output. The suggested research strategy is problem-orientated, inter-disciplinary and based on a multi-method approach.

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