HEALTH

Descriptive evaluation studies of activities and policy topics
Health Resources and Services Administration

Under a 5-year prime contract with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Econometrica’s support is focused on (1) design and/or conduct of descriptive evaluation studies of HRSA-supported activities, and (2) design and conduct of evaluation/information syntheses of HRSA-supported activities and policy topics of concern to HRSA.

Descriptive evaluation studies describe program structure and operation without attempting to assess whether the observed changes are due to the program intervention. These studies may focus on an individual program or a significant component of a large program. Studies in this category might address such topics as implementation of planned program models or designs; program functioning, including assessment of the efficiency of program management; organization of service delivery networks; service improvement strategies; client perception of program availability and accessibility; adequacy and interaction of program structure, input, and process; accomplishment of operational targets, meeting standards, and following national guidelines; identification and description of users of services and utilization patterns; and identification of “best practices” among a number of similar program sites.

Evaluation/information syntheses bring together existing studies and other data/information sources, assesses them (adequacy of methodology, sample size and composition, response roles, analyses employed, conclusions drawn, etc.) and use them as a data base to answer specific questions about program implementation, outcomes and impacts or specific policy topics.