Social Return on Investment: Health Promotion Programs

Abstract

This study uses the social return on investment (SROI) method to evaluate selected health promotion programs supported by Thai Health Promotion Foundation. The selected programs include one issue-based program, i.e., food and nutrition, and three target-based programs, namely disabled persons, the elderly, and children and youth. SROI is a useful method for measuring the social impacts of projects or programs. It enables monetizing the social values of projects through the use of financial proxies. The method is transparent and based on cost-benefit analysis. It was found that social investment provides positive returns to the general public. Programs focusing on food and nutrition can cover a wide range of the population with low investment. The return is about 10 baht for each baht of investment. Programs on children and youth provide about half that of programs on food and nutrition. Health promotion programs for disabled persons and the elderly provide much lower return on investment than the other two programs. One reason is because programs for disabled persons and the elderly were started off later than the other two programs.