CHES - Certified Health Education Specialist Evaluation and Research Methods Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A health education specialist is monitoring a new after-school physical activity program. They track attendance rates, collect participant feedback on the activities, and observe whether instructors are delivering the curriculum as planned. What type of evaluation is primarily being conducted?
- Impact Evaluation
- Process Evaluation (Correct answer)
- Outcome Evaluation
- Summative Evaluation
Correct answer: Process Evaluation
Process evaluation focuses on the implementation of the program, including fidelity (was it delivered as planned?), reach (who is participating?), and participant satisfaction. This is distinct from impact or outcome evaluation, which measures the program's effects on specific objectives and long-term goals.
Question 2: A research study is designed to evaluate a new diabetes education program. Two existing clinics are selected; one receives the new program, and the other continues with standard care. Health outcomes are measured in both groups before and after the intervention. This design notably lacks random assignment of participants. What type of research design is this?
- True Experimental
- Cross-Sectional
- Quasi-Experimental (Correct answer)
- Case-Control
Correct answer: Quasi-Experimental
The primary feature that distinguishes a quasi-experimental design from a true experimental design is the lack of random assignment to the intervention and control/comparison groups. This design uses pre-existing, non-randomized groups (the two clinics), making it quasi-experimental.
Question 3: A health education specialist is designing a longitudinal study to measure the effect of a year-long nutrition intervention. Which of the following represents a significant threat to the study's internal validity?
- The use of a non-validated survey instrument.
- The inability to generalize findings to a different population.
- A small sample size that limits statistical power.
- A major new public health campaign about healthy eating launches on TV midway through the study. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: A major new public health campaign about healthy eating launches on TV midway through the study.
Internal validity is the extent to which an intervention can be credited with causing an observed effect. A 'history' threat occurs when an external event happens during the study that could influence the outcome, making it difficult to isolate the intervention's true effect. The new TV campaign is a historical event that could confound the results.
Question 4: A health education specialist wants to explore the underlying reasons, attitudes, and shared experiences of a small group of older adults regarding their reluctance to use new health technologies. The goal is to facilitate a dynamic discussion where participants can build on each other's ideas. Which data collection method is most appropriate?
- A structured quantitative survey
- A focus group (Correct answer)
- Systematic observation with a checklist
- An analysis of existing electronic health records
Correct answer: A focus group
Focus groups are specifically designed to gather in-depth qualitative data by facilitating discussion among a small group of participants. The interactive nature allows the specialist to explore complex topics, attitudes, and shared beliefs, which aligns perfectly with the research goal.
Question 5: In the RE-AIM evaluation framework, which dimension assesses the extent to which a program is delivered with fidelity to its original design?
- Reach
- Effectiveness
- Adoption
- Implementation (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Implementation
The 'Implementation' dimension of the RE-AIM framework specifically refers to the fidelity of the intervention. It assesses whether the program was delivered correctly and consistently as intended by the developers, including the costs of delivery.
Question 6: Before beginning a research study involving human subjects, a CHES provides participants with a detailed document outlining the study's purpose, procedures, potential risks and benefits, and their right to withdraw at any time. Participants must sign this document to be enrolled. This procedure is a primary example of which ethical principle?
- Informed Consent (Correct answer)
- Beneficence
- Justice
- Anonymity
Correct answer: Informed Consent
Informed consent is a fundamental ethical principle requiring researchers to provide potential participants with adequate information about a study so they can make a voluntary and informed decision about whether to participate. The scenario describes all the core components of this process.
CHES - Certified Health Education Specialist Evaluation and Research Methods Questions and Answers
A health education specialist is monitoring a new after-school physical activity program.
They track attendance rates, collect participant feedback on the activities, and observe whether instructors are delivering the curriculum as planned.
What type of evaluation is primarily being conducted?