Evaluation and monitoring

This chapter explains why evaluating and monitoring non-communicable disease (NCD) policies or programmes is an essential part of the process of addressing NCDs. After defining these terms, this chapter reviews the three main types of evaluation: formative evaluation, process evaluation, and outcome evaluation. The chapter walks through the process of formulating an evaluation plan, discusses the challenge of identifying reliable and valid measures, and provides a checklist of issues to consider in choosing measures. It identifies important concepts to take into account when designing an evaluation for NCD prevention, such as the Hawthorne effect and the ceiling effect. Additionally, it provides several case studies which illustrate the diverse range of methods which can be employed to evaluate and monitor NCD initiatives. The chapter illustrates one possible model for NCD monitoring and provides the monitoring framework which the World Health Organization uses to monitor progress on the Global NCD Action Plan.