Formative Evaluation Techniques and Purposes

Technique

Media assessment

Purpose

• Identifies mass media consumption patterns of affected population.
• Describes the impact of the media on sexual and reproductive behavior.

Technique

Health infrastructure assessment

Purpose

• Identifies and describes available medical and social services dealing with reproductive health and sexual risk reduction.

Technique

Literature review

Purpose

• Identifies research on topics related to epidemiology and psychosocial factors relatedto reproductive health and HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.
• Identifies humanistic theory and cultural reports, specifically on topics such as howhealth, sexuality, and gender roles are expressed in the culture.

Technique

Community infrastructure and network assessment

Purpose

• Reviews community-based activities.
• Identifies points of entry and opportunities for community mobilization.
• Assesses social and structural barriers to community involvement.

Technique

Qualitative assessment

Purpose

• Summarizes behavior and attitudes of affected population with regard to relevant topics,including barriers to and facilitators of sexual and reproductive health behavior change.
• Investigates personal, social, and cultural ways in which people understand theirhealth and behavior, including the discursive and symbolic practices, specifically(1) parts of stories that people use to make sense of situations (e.g., culturallycommon characters, relationships, scenes, and scenarios) and (2) rhetoricalmeans used to link parts into larger units (e.g., culturally common causalexplanations, inferences, and justifications for HIV-related behaviors).
• Identifies and elucidates the settings, situations, and material conditions that providethe context for reproductive health behaviors of young men and women.
• Describes people's perception of the relevance, accessibility, and quality of servicesthat exist at the local level.
• Identifies people and groups who interact with members of the affected populations andwho are seen as credible sources of information and influence by young men and women.

Contact: Christine Galavotti cxg2@cdc.gov