The three levels of evaluation commonly used in health education program planning are; self-help, institutional, and school-based. Each level addresses specific issues or concerns and should be tailored to meet the needs of the intended audience. This includes selecting the appropriate resources, developing the plan, measuring performance at each level, feedback from participants, and creating action plans.
Self-help levels address concerns: That generally affect the individual or family. These may include diet, fitness, nutritional information, stress management, and stress management tools such as yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, and other relaxation techniques. While this level emphasizes prevention measures, it does not provide information about curative measures or management of diseases that have been contracted. In the case of school-based evaluations, the focus is on wellness management and how well a school’s policies, practices, and interventions are designed to promote health.
Institutional levels are used to inform: Students and practitioners about the preventive measures that schools are able to take, when they can take them, and for how long. In addition, they are used to justify any changes that may need to be made within the institution. At this level, the focus is on students and practitioners’ understanding of the disease and their relationship with health. Levels I and II focus on preventing and providing access to disease prevention information, while levels III and IV are concerned with promoting better access to treatment and services when these are needed. At this level, the evaluation includes linking the dots between policies, practices, and initiatives and providing evidence supporting each.
School-based evaluation is based on students’ use of school resources: Such as library resources, teachers’ notes, and student projects. As a result, this level addresses both practice and theory in the classroom, using laboratory assessments to track changes over time and to track improvements. As a result, it can be used to support school policies. School-based evaluations typically measure areas such as student social behavior, school climate, attitudes toward school safety and discipline, and school climate and satisfaction, among others.
In a clinical setting: Health educators or supervisors assess the effectiveness of a health education program by using a variety of techniques. Levels I and II evaluate the content, process, and delivery of the program, as well as its impact on individual health. The focus is on evaluating the effectiveness of health promotion strategies, service delivery, and communication efforts. These include the use of surveys, questionnaires, and interviews. It also includes the evaluation of outcomes, quality indicators, and new technologies that have been developed to make the program more efficient.
As a result: Levels I and II provide crucial knowledge for policy makers, professionals, and educators to improve the health of individuals. While this level of evaluation is more involved than the first two, it is essential for the development of preventive services, identify barriers to health promotion, and monitor changes in service delivery. Because the process is more detailed and requires more effort, professionals who are involved in the assessment should have previous background and experience in health education or related fields.
However, there are schools that offer courses to develop the necessary competencies.