CPHA Program Planning & Evaluation 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of evaluation assesses whether a public health program is being implemented as planned?
- Outcome evaluation
- Process evaluation (Correct answer)
- Impact evaluation
- Summative evaluation
Correct answer: Process evaluation
Process evaluation monitors program implementation fidelity, assessing whether activities are being delivered as intended rather than measuring health outcomes.
Question 2: The logic model framework connects which of the following in the correct sequence?
- Goals → Activities → Inputs → Outputs → Outcomes
- Inputs → Activities → Outputs → Outcomes → Impact (Correct answer)
- Outcomes → Impact → Inputs → Activities → Outputs
- Activities → Inputs → Outcomes → Outputs → Impact
Correct answer: Inputs → Activities → Outputs → Outcomes → Impact
A logic model follows the sequence Inputs → Activities → Outputs → Outcomes → Impact, showing how resources lead to long-term population change.
Question 3: Which needs assessment method involves analyzing existing data such as hospital records and census data without collecting new data?
- Focus groups
- Key informant interviews
- Secondary data analysis (Correct answer)
- Community surveys
Correct answer: Secondary data analysis
Secondary data analysis uses existing datasets (hospital records, census data, vital statistics) to identify community health needs without the time and cost of primary data collection.
Question 4: In program planning, a SMART objective refers to objectives that are:
- Simple, Measurable, Actionable, Reasonable, Timely
- Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound (Correct answer)
- Sustainable, Meaningful, Attainable, Realistic, Trackable
- Strategic, Manageable, Assessable, Results-based, Targeted
Correct answer: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound
SMART objectives are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound, providing clear and verifiable criteria for program success.
Question 5: Which evaluation design provides the strongest evidence of a public health program's effectiveness?
- Pre-post design without a control group
- Cross-sectional survey design
- Randomized controlled trial (Correct answer)
- Case study design
Correct answer: Randomized controlled trial
Randomized controlled trials provide the strongest causal evidence by randomly assigning participants to intervention and control groups, minimizing selection bias and confounding.
Question 6: Formative evaluation is BEST described as evaluation conducted:
- After program completion to judge overall effectiveness
- During program development to improve design before full rollout (Correct answer)
- To assess long-term population health changes over decades
- To compare program cost to health outcomes achieved
Correct answer: During program development to improve design before full rollout
Formative evaluation is conducted during program development or early implementation to refine and improve design, ensuring the program is ready for full delivery.
Question 7: Which stakeholder engagement strategy is MOST important during the program planning phase to ensure relevance and community buy-in?
- Distributing final program reports to community members after completion
- Conducting press releases announcing program outcomes
- Involving community members in identifying priorities and designing solutions (Correct answer)
- Providing staff training on implementation protocols
Correct answer: Involving community members in identifying priorities and designing solutions
Engaging community members in identifying priorities and co-designing solutions ensures the program addresses real needs and increases ownership, uptake, and sustainability.
CPHA Program Planning & Evaluation 1
Which type of evaluation assesses whether a public health program is being implemented as planned?