Evaluation of the Health Care Project - Essay Example

"Evaluation of the Health Care Project" is a smart example of a paper on child development. 
One of the program evaluation measures that can be suggested for a project of the Injury Free Coalition for Kids Program is the awareness created in the children as well as the people around them that remain with them on daily basis like their parents or teachers. After the program has been executed, awareness of the children and their parents or teachers can be checked by conducting surveys which can be either questionnaire surveys or interviews. One-to-one interviews or focus groups can be two ways of collecting information through interviews whose suitability can be established depending upon the availability and willingness of the respondents. Kids cannot avoid injuries until they know what behaviors enhance their susceptibility to injuries and what the safety measures that they can take to keep safe from injuries are. Researchers can collect information about the awareness among children and their parents or teachers regarding the potential sources of injuries, the personal protective equipment suitable to wear in particular circumstances, and the safe behaviors. The process is simple; the more the children and the people around them are aware of these variables, the safer they can keep avoiding the injuries, which is what this program is all about.

Another very important measure of evaluation of this program is the accident rate after the program has been executed. However, this requires considerable monitoring of the children and their elders participating in the program for a sufficient length of time i.e. at least some months or preferably a year. First of all, the injury rate of the children before the program should be ascertained by conducting a survey. After the post-program period, a survey should be conducted to collect information from the children and their parents regarding whether they were caught in any accidents during this period. If not, did the knowledge about safety inculcated in them through this program was the reason they kept safe, or there were some other factors as

well. On the other hand, if they do report some injuries after this period, the type and severity of injury should be recorded, and the possible reasons for its occurrence as per the perceptions of the program participants should be asked. If the injury rate after the program is more than before the program, the program is certainly a failure. If the injury rate before and after the program is found to be the same, the program has done no good to keep the children safe from injuries. Lastly, if the injury rate after the program is lesser than what it was before the program, the program is found to be effective in keeping the children safe from injuries.

Another important but relatively fragile measure of program evaluation is its conformance to the principles of ethics while it is conducted. Since children are the prime subjects or stakeholders of the program, they are difficult to work with because of their immaturity or lack of understanding of the importance of keeping safe. The program should be conducted in such a manner that it is interesting, involving, and engaging for the children rather than a forced penalty on them. This can be ascertained by asking children’s opinions and perceptions about the program when it is half-way through.