Evaluation Of Program Effectiveness Research Articles

Outcome Evaluation of a Health System Clinical Nurse Specialist Fellowship Program.

Healthcare is a complex adaptive system, requiring agile, innovative leaders to transform care. Clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) are uniquely positioned to influence change and achieve high-quality outcomes. Nurse leaders need strategies to onboard and retain CNSs considering high demand across the nation. The purpose of this program evaluation was to describe the core components and outcomes of CNS fellowship programs. This program evaluation used the Kirkpatrick Model as a framework to assess learning and knowledge translation. The study was conducted within 3 Indiana healthcare organizations. Clinical nurse specialist leaders from each organization identified fellowship core components and analyzed team composition (ie, percentage of CNS team that was current/past fellows). Current and past CNS fellows were invited to participate in a survey evaluating program effectiveness, impact on role transition, project leadership, and outcomes achieved. Overlap was identified among 85% (17/20) of the core components, team composition was 71% (25/35) past/current fellows, and retention was 100% (12/12). Of the 23 invited, 18 (78%) participated in the program evaluation. Program effectiveness was evaluated as very/extremely effective by 94% (17/18) of participants. Themes salient to independent practice transition were applying learning, achieving influence, and developing relationally, contributing to incremental gain of the CNS perspective (ie, CNS values and guiding principles influencing critical thinking and behavior). Nurse leaders should consider fellowship implementation to recruit and retain CNS talent within organizations.

Implementation Analysis of the Youth Posyandu Program in Pekalongan City

This research aims to analyze the implementation of the Youth Posyandu/Integrated Health Post program in Pekalongan city. The research design used qualitative with in-depth interview techniques and data triangulation. The informants consisted of relevant officials, Posyandu cadres, and stakeholders. The results indicate that strategies for increasing youth participation include intensifying education, involving community leaders, creating a youth-friendly atmosphere, and strengthening the role of cadres. The barriers to participation can be resolved through a creative and collaborative approach. Adolescents' health awareness is increased through understanding their needs. Health information was delivered using an attractive digital platform according to teenagers' interests. Overcoming access barriers required stigma-free educational campaigns, supportive environments, and active youth involvement. The positive role of parents and the social environment creates norms that support adolescent participation. A youth-friendly environment was created through participatory design, adequate facilities, and organizing activities by teenagers. Moreover, evaluation of program effectiveness involved measurable performance indicators, comprehensive data analysis, and ongoing feedback to optimize impact on youth knowledge, behavior, and well-being.

The Johns Hopkins Physician-Scientist Training Program to Enhance Institutional Retention and Entry Into Academic Positions: An Evaluation of Program Effectiveness and Outcomes.

The Johns Hopkins Physician-Scientist Training Program (PSTP) was implemented to overcome well-documented challenges in training and retaining physician-scientists by providing physician-scientist pathway training for residents and clinical fellows. The program's core tenets include monthly seminars, individualized feedback on project proposals, access to mentors, and institutional funding opportunities. This study evaluated the effectiveness and outcomes of the PTSP and provides a framework for replication. A query of institutional demographic data and bibliometric variables of the PSTP participants (2017-2020) at a single academic medical center was conducted in 2021. In addition, a voluntary survey collected personal and program evaluation information. Of 145 PSTP scholars, 59 (41%) were women, and 41 (31%), 8 (6%), and 6 (5%) of scholars self-identified as Asian, Hispanic, and Black, respectively. Thirty-three (23%) scholars received PSTP research support or career development microgrants. Of 66 PSTP graduates, 29 (44%) remained at Johns Hopkins as clinical fellows or faculty. Of 48 PSTP graduates in a post-training position, 42 (88%) were in academia, with the majority, 29 (76%), holding the rank of assistant professor. Fifty-nine of 140 available participants responded to the survey (42% response rate). The top-cited reason for joining the PSTP was exposure to mentors and administration (50/58 respondents, 86%), followed by seeking scholarly opportunities (37/58 respondents, 64%). Most scholars intended to continue a career as a physician-scientist. The PSTP provides internal research support and institutional oversight. Although establishing close mentor-mentee relationships requires individualized approaches, the PSTP provided structured academic pathways that enhanced participating scholars' ability to apply for grants and jobs. The vast majority continued their careers as physician-scientists after training. In light of the national evidence of a "leaky physician-scientist pipeline," programs such as the PSTP can be critical to entry into early academic career positions and institutional retention.

Differentiated impacts of environmental contexts on residents' environmental attitudes towards ecological restoration programs of China's drylands

Residents' environmental attitudes (EAs) towards ecological restoration programs are vital for evaluating program effectiveness and promoting environmental management. However, most local studies have neglected the indirect environmental contextual influences on residents' EAs, and have omitted the regional variations in the environmental contextual influences. To investigate the multilevel factors affecting residents' EAs, we conducted a transect survey that included the eastern, middle, and western regions in northern China's drylands, where have experienced ecological restoration. Multilevel linear models (MLMs) were applied to analyse the direct and indirect impacts of environmental contexts and individual characteristics on rural residents' EAs. The results showed the environmental context can indirectly impact EAs by amplifying the influence of individual characteristics such as family structure and income on EAs. The EAs are influenced by different local environmental contexts among the east, middle and west of China's drylands. The humidity attitude was influenced by precipitation only in the highly arid western and middle regions, while precipitation attitude is strongly influenced by land surface temperature and humidity in eastern China's drylands. These findings hold important implications for understanding the cross-scale impact of environmental contexts on EAs in drylands.

The development of creativity of foreign language teachers as a factor in their subjective well-being

This study explored the level of creativity among 208 foreign language teachers in Ukraine. Results showed insufficient levels across value, cognitive and behavioural components of creativity. A training program was proposed to develop teacher creativity through 5 sessions targeting these components and psychological/organisational factors. Developing teacher creativity can support subjective well-being and success in creative teaching activities. The program contains informational, diagnostic, developmental and creative stages to enhance creativity and motivation. Further research could expand the criteria and methods for evaluating program effectiveness.

Starter Steps as to the Importance of Keeping an Accurate Training Log

ABSTRACT Despite advances in strength and conditioning science, a gap exists in the optimal utilization of training logs for athlete monitoring. Accurate logs serve as a critical interface for player development, offering real-time evaluation and enabling long-term data analysis. This article addresses the reluctance among professionals to transition from traditional paper-based methods to digital platforms, citing this as a hindrance to correlating workout data with performance metrics. It emphasizes the individualized nature of training adaptation and the necessity of advanced technologies and software skills for effective program evaluation. The article also details critical variables to be captured in workout logs, both quantitative and qualitative, and underscores their role in decision-making, workout efficacy, and athlete safety. By embracing digital advancements, professionals can elevate the quality of strength and conditioning programs, ensuring they are executed as designed and achieve desired outcomes.

Exploring the long-term sustainability of school-based nutrition and food programs: What works, where and why?

Most food and nutrition programs cease within 2 years. Understanding the determinants of program sustainability is crucial to maximise output from funding, whilst allowing sufficient time for program benefits to be achieved. This study applied the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to map the barriers and enablers of successful long-term implementation of school-based nutrition and food programs. Qualitative methods with purposive and snowball sampling were used to recruit experts who were identified as being influential in implementing and sustaining long-term (>2 years) school-based food and nutrition programs. Semi-structured interviews with global experts were conducted, transcribed verbatim and coded deductively (by applying the CFIR constructs) and inductively when required. Thematic analysis informed the development of themes. Interviews were conducted with 11 experts including researchers, government employees, and a consultant of an international agency, from seven countries. Forty-eight deductive codes and eight inductive codes identified six main themes: (1) funding and integrity of its source; (2) political landscape; (3) nutrition policies and their monitoring; (4) involvement of community actors; (5) adaptability of the program and (6) effective program evaluation. Themes related mainly to the 'outer setting' domain of the CFIR. The CFIR highlighted pertinent factors that influence the successful long-term implementation of school-based food and nutrition programs. SO WHAT?: The findings suggest that to sustain program implementation beyond its initial funding, relationships across government departments, local organisations and communities, need to be nurtured and prioritised from the outset.

Application of marketing to reduce consumer food waste in restaurants

Purpose This paper aims to illustrate the application and effectiveness of a marketing programme co-designed by supply- and demand-side stakeholders to reduce consumer food waste in restaurants. Design/methodology/approach This stakeholder-based marketing pilot study adopted the co-create, build and engage framework for programme design and implementation. Major stakeholders, interacting at the point-of-sale, participated in a series of focus groups, interviews and co-design. The research process informed the marketing mix, which aimed to provide value for all parties. The four-week pilot programme was delivered in a non-buffet-style commercial restaurant chain for 10 months. The amount of consumer food leftovers was measured and compared with pre-programme baseline data to evaluate programme effectiveness. Findings The results show that the marketing mix co-designed by restaurant stakeholders and consumers effectively reduced food waste by almost half in the pilot period. The profitability of the pilot restaurant increased as food costs decreased. Research limitations/implications This research demonstrates how working with stakeholders from both the supply and demand sides can identify motivations and barriers. Insights gained in the research phase can inform the delivery of a marketing mix that reduces consumer food waste. This study demonstrates the marketing research, design, implementation and evaluation process for a marketing programme that reduced consumer food waste. Practical implications To effectively reduce consumer food waste, practitioners should not only focus on changing consumers’ behaviour. Co-designing solutions with food service stakeholders to address business and operation challenges is crucial to the attainment of a positive impact at the point-of-sale. Originality/value This research shows how marketing changes behaviour in individuals and business entities, contributing to positive environmental impact through waste reduction in the commercial food service sector.

Preliminary Development of a Program ABSITE Dashboard (PAD) to Guide Curriculum Innovation

Medical Knowledge for general surgery residents' is assessed by the American Board of Surgery In- Training Examination (ABSITE). ASBITE score reports contain many metrics residency directors can utilize to assess resident progress and perform program evaluation. The purpose of this study was to develop a framework to evaluate program effectiveness in teaching specific subtest and subtopic areas of the ABSITE, using ABSITE score reports as an indicator. The aim is to demonstrate the identification of topic areas of weakness in program-wide performance on the ABSITE to guide proposed modification of the general surgery residency program curriculum, and to initiate development of a data visualizing dashboard to communicate these metrics. A single institution retrospective study was performed utilizing ABSITE score reports from general surgery residents at a large academic training program from 2017 to 2020. ABSITE performance metrics from 320 unique records were entered into a database; statistical analysis for linear trends and variance were conducted for standard scores, subtest standard scores, and incorrect subtest topics. Deviation from national average scores were calculated by subtracting the national average score from each subtest score for each trainee. Data were displayed as medians or proportions and are displayed to optimize visualization as a proof-of-concept for the development of a program dashboard. Trends and variance in general surgery program and cohort performance on various elements of the ABSITE were visualized using figures and tables that represent a prototype for a program dashboard. Figure A1 demonstrates one example, in which a heatmap displays the median deviation from national average scores for each subtest by program year. Boxplots show the distribution of the deviation from national average, range for national average scores, and the recorded scores for each subtest by program year. Trends in median deviation from the national average scores are displayed for each program year paneled by subtest or for each exam year paneled by cohort. Median change in overall test scores from one program year to another in a cohort is visualized as a table. Bar graphs show the most often missed topics across all program years and heatmaps were generated showing the proportion of times each topic was missed for each subtest and exam year. We demonstrate use of ABSITE reports to identify specific thematic areas of opportunities for curriculum modification and innovation as an element of program evaluation. In this study we demonstrate, through data analysis and visualization, feasibility for the creation of a Program ABSITE Dashboard (PAD) that enhances the use of ABSITE reports for formative program evaluation and can guide modifications to surgery program curriculum and educational practices.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effectiveness and Mechanisms of Change in a School-Based Intervention Combining Universal and Indicated Prevention for Preschoolers’ Behavior Problems

ABSTRACT The Social-Emotional Prevention Program (SEP) is a multi-focused intervention combining universal and indicated intervention strategies delivered face-to-face and through the use of technology. The study’s objectives were to assess comparatively SEP effectiveness as a function of preschoolers’ baseline risk of externalizing problems and to evaluate its hypothesized mechanisms of action. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted with five schools assigned to either the intervention or to a comparison condition (wait-list control). Structural equation models (SEM) and complier average causal effects (CACE) were conducted to evaluate program effectiveness and mechanisms of change. Research Findings: SEP participation was associated with improved social-emotional competence irrespective of baseline risk and at-risk preschoolers were more likely to exhibit reductions in externalizing problems. However, perceptions about which risk group benefited more varied as a function of rater. Patterns for SEP mechanisms of action suggest that these were similar across risk status with both child emotion regulation and parental emotion socialization practices emerging as paths to improved social-emotional competencies. Practice and Policy: The present findings add to the extant evidence suggesting that multi-focused programs combining universal and indicated prevention strategies could be successfully delivered in schools to promote social-emotional learning.

뇌 기반 학습의 국내 연구 동향 분석

Objectives The study aims to analyze the trends of research in brain-based learning in the domestic context and to provide implications for future research tasks and direction.
 Methods 97 papers with the keywords “brain education” and “brain learning” published in education journals listed in the Korean Citation Index (KCI) journals from 2003 to April 2023 were collected. Among them, 66 papers that were appropriate for the research purpose were selected as the final analysis target. The analysis criteria were research year, research purpose and content, research method and data collection method, and research subject. Content analysis was conducted.
 Results First, the results of the study showed that research on brain-based learning has been actively studied since the mid-2010s. Second, the results of the study showed that the highest proportion of research on brain- based learning (43.9%) was related to understanding. Third, the trends in research methods showed that qual-itative research methods (47.0%) and quantitative research methods (43.9%) were used in similar proportions, and mixed research methods were used in the lowest proportion of 6 (9.1%). The most common data collection method was documents with 28 (42.4%). Finally, in terms of research trends by research subject, there were many studies on infants and young children, and adult teachers also had a lot of research on infant teachers.
 Conclusions This study suggests that detailed policy support and educational discussions are needed to promote the activation of brain-based learning research. Furthermore, future research should involve the active use of ad-vanced devices such as EEG or fMRI to directly validate the brain's learning processes, moving beyond the evalua-tion of program effectiveness.

Update and validation of the Canadian Behavior, Attitude and Nutrition Knowledge Survey (C-BANKS 2.0).

Understanding knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to nutrition is crucial in developing effective intervention strategies to promote healthy eating habits. This study revised and updated the Canadian Behavior, Attitude and Nutrition Knowledge Survey (C-BANKS) to align with the current Canada's Food Guide and dietary guidance and report on its reliability and validity with a new population. Data from 167 early childhood educators were recruited to test the revised C-BANKS' reliability and validity. Reliability, as measured by internal consistency, was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, while concurrent validity was determined by correlating the C-BANKS 2.0 scores with the CHEERS (Creating Healthy Eating and Active Environments Survey) and Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ). Responsiveness was assessed by comparing a baseline C-BANKS 2.0 score to a post-test score after completing an online healthy eating and physical activity educational intervention. The adapted C-BANKS 2.0 questionnaire demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha >0.70) and construct validity with related measures CHEERS and MEQ (p < 0.05). The C-BANKS 2.0 demonstrated strong responsiveness. Specifically, C-BANKS 2.0 scores increased after the nutrition education intervention (p < 0.001). Additionally, there were no signs of floor or ceiling effects. The adapted C-BANKS 2.0 demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency, construct validity, and responsiveness to measure of nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors in an early childhood educator population. The revised C-BANKS 2.0 provides insight into the key factors that influence dietary habits thereby informing the design and evaluation of effective nutrition community intervention programs.

대학의 일통합 학습모형 적용에 관한 탐색적 연구

This study was conducted to develop a work-integrated learning model to intentionally link and integrate students' work experiences in future job sites and university curriculum, and to propose application plans focusing on real estate and tourism majors. To achieve this research purpose, theoretical and practical prior studies and domestic and foreign cases of work-integrated learning were reviewed, and based on this, a work-integrated learning model consisting of four types: a full-course integrated model, a specific area advanced model, a specific topic-oriented model, and a multi-process diversification model was proposed. Due to the nature of the major as a specific integrated learning application plan, the real estate major was presented as a specific topic-oriented model, and the tourism major was presented as a full-course integrated model. The implication of this study is that it presented a work-integrated learning model that can be implemented in universities and specific application plans centered on real estate and tourism majors. The limitation of this study is that there is no related research in Korea, so it is presented as an exploratory study, and future studies will require research on effective detailed program application and evaluation methods for each integrated learning model.

Impact Over 3 Years of a Family Medicine-led Addiction Medicine Curriculum for Medical Students.

Innovations in medical school training are essential for family physicians to enter practice confident in addressing the opioid epidemic and substance use disorders. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a distance-learning addiction medicine curriculum led by family medicine physicians for third-year medical students. Our prospective cohort study of third-year medical students compared our educational model to a traditional curriculum. Our distance-learning collaboration employed videoconferencing and community experts to engage students across Minnesota in an addiction medicine curriculum. Students in a family medicine-focused 9-month longitudinal integrated curriculum (LIC)participated in this 16-session curriculum while embedded in a rural or urban underserved community for their core third-year clerkships. We evaluated program effectiveness through a knowledge and attitude self-assessment survey of student participants before and after the program compared to students in a traditional curriculum. The pre- and postsurvey response rates, respectively, were 22.8% for the control group and 98.4% for the ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) group. Compared to classmates in a traditional curriculum, program participants reported significantly higher self-perceived ability managing addiction concerns upon completing this curriculum (mean score of 3.2 vs 2.2 on a 5-point Likert scale, P&lt;.001). Data from our LIC showed promise that the model can be effective in building confidence in students' abilities to practice addiction medicine. Because of its broad reach and low cost, this form of medical education may be a key model for medical schools to respond to the opioid epidemic and better serve our patients.

EĞİTİMDE ÖLÇME VE DEĞERLENDİRME DERSİNE YÖNELİK BİR META-DEĞERLENDİRME ÇALIŞMASI

In this study, it was aimed to make a meta-evaluation of the study titled Evaluation of Measurement and Evaluation in Education Curriculum. For this purpose, it was revealed to what extent the study meets the Program Evaluation Standards determined by the Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation (JCSEE). Methodologically, meta-evaluation procedures were adopted in the research, and the Evaluation Accountability Standards determined by JCSEE were considered in the transactions carried out in this context. The Program Evaluation Standards Checklist developed by the researchers was used to control whether the meta-evaluated research met the required standards. For this purpose, controls were made by an internal and an external evaluator to reveal whether the study has the qualities of accurate planning, valid and reliable data collection, performing the necessary analyzes, and reporting which should be in an effective program evaluation research. According to the data obtained from internal and external evaluators, the meta-evaluated study largely (88.33%) meets the Program Evaluation Standards. In addition, according to both evaluators, Utility Standards were met by 88.9%, Feasibility Standards by 75%, and Accuracy Standards by 100%, while Propriety Standards are met at a rate of 87.5% according to the external evaluator and 75% according to the internal evaluator. Moreover, the experts are of the opinion that sufficient information was not provided in the research, especially about the concepts of cultural values, interests, contexts, and conflicts of interest. Based on the research findings, suggestions were made to conduct program evaluation and meta-evaluation studies more effectively.

Effects of WAKE.TAIWAN Healthy Lifestyle Web-Based Promotion Programs on Adults’ Awareness of Self-perceived Weight Status and Their Healthy Lifestyle Stages: Retrospective Analysis

Obesity is a major risk factor of many chronic diseases. However, current obesity control policies and actions are not sufficient to halt the pandemic. It has been documented that more than half of all adults are not able to interpret their own weight status, not to mention to practice healthy lifestyles. Social media and interactive websites can reach people on a long-term basis, which may be used as intervention vehicles to build up cognition for weight control and to promote healthy behavior practices. WAKE.TAIWAN is an ongoing web-based multifaceted healthy lifestyle promotion program with social media and interactive websites as the intervention vehicle. This study aimed to examine whether adults reached by our program would have increased awareness to their own anthropometric measures, correctly judge their body weight status, and practice healthy behaviors over time. This study adopted a quasi-experimental design with web-based questionnaire surveys. The experimental group consisted of WAKE.TAIWAN Facebook group members aged 20-65 years who have used the interactive website health education resources (n=177). The group was further stratified into 2 subgroups based on their duration of participation (E1 group: duration <1 year; E2 group: duration ≥1 year). The control group consisted of other Facebook users (n=545) in the same age range who had not been exposed to the health education materials of this project. A total of 722 people (male: n=267, 37%; and female: n=455, 63%) participated in our survey in 2019. Data were analyzed to evaluate program effectiveness using a generalized linear model. The proportion of people correctly interpreting their own weight status in the experimental group was greater than that of the control group (control group: 320/545, 58.7%; group E1: 53/88, 60%; and group E2: 64/89, 72%). The E2 experimental group was significantly better than the control group in paying attention to weight-related measures and in correctly interpreting their own weight status (odds ratio 1.73, 95% CI 1.04-2.89; P=.04). With respect to the behavioral stages of practicing healthy eating and active living, both experimental groups, E1 and E2, performed significantly better than the control group (group E1: P=.003 and P=.02; and group E2: P=.004 and P<.001, respectively). This study demonstrates that the longer the participants were exposed to our social media-based programs, the higher the proportion of them that would have the correct judgement on their weight status and fall in the higher stages of healthy lifestyle behaviors. A longitudinal follow-up survey is in place to verify these findings.

Analysis of community participation in waste management that supports the agricultural sector in Takalar

An increase in population with various activities and lifestyles of a community has an impact on increasing volume, type, and characteristics of waste. The increase in the amount of waste needs to be balanced with the government and the ability to manage waste, so it is necessary to involve the community. This study aims to measure community participation in managing household waste that will support the agricultural sector. This study was carried out in Takalar Regency because Takalar is one of Indonesia’s regencies that has been successfully awarded the Community-Based Total Sanitation (STBM) from the Indonesian Ministry of Health and the Sustainable STBM Award in waste management. The method used in this study was a descriptive analysis of questionnaire data which was filled by 1011 villages of Takalar Regency. The study found that most of the Takalar citizens have participated in the waste management program initiated by the government of Takalar Regency. However, only a small number of residents process waste into products that support the agricultural sector. This research provides implications for evaluating program effectiveness and finding opportunities for further improvement in regulations.

The Impact of Human Resource Training on Employee Turnover in London

Purpose: The study aims to investigate the effect of human resource training on employee turnover in London.&#x0D; Methodology: The study adopted a desktop methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low-cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library.&#x0D; Results: The literature review indicates that human resource training can significantly impact employee turnover in London. Specifically, research suggests that training programs can improve employee job satisfaction, increase employee engagement, and enhance organizational commitment, all of which can contribute to reducing turnover rates. Furthermore, the review highlights the importance of training program design, delivery, and evaluation in achieving positive outcomes. Effective training programs should be tailored to the specific needs of employees and organizations, utilize a variety of training methods, and be regularly evaluated to ensure their effectiveness. Additionally, the review suggests that factors such as organizational culture, leadership, and employee motivation may influence the impact of training programs on turnover rates. Overall, the findings suggest that human resource training can be a valuable tool for reducing employee turnover in London, but more research is needed to determine the optimal training strategies for different types of organizations and employees.&#x0D; Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: This study shows that human resource training programs can reduce employee turnover rates in London. Effective program design, delivery, and evaluation are important, and factors like organizational culture, leadership, and employee motivation can influence their impact. Organizations should invest in tailored, diverse, and regularly evaluated training programs. Policy makers should prioritize training policies that promote well-being and organizational performance.

Using communication to boost vaccination: Lessons for COVID-19 from evaluations of eight large-scale programs to promote routine vaccinations

The COVID-19 pandemic has added new urgency to the question of how best to motivate people to get needed vaccines. In this article, we present lessons gleaned from government evaluations of eight large randomized controlled trials of interventions that used direct communications to increase the uptake of routine vaccines. These evaluations, conducted by the U.S. General Services Administration’s Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES) before the start of the pandemic, had a median sample size of 55,000. Participating organizations deployed a variety of behaviorally informed direct communications and used administrative data to measure whether people who received the communications got vaccinated or took steps toward vaccination. The results of six of the eight evaluations were not statistically significant, and a meta-analysis suggests that changes in vaccination rates ranged from -0.004 to 0.394 percentage points. The remaining two evaluations yielded increases in vaccination rates that were statistically significant, albeit modest: 0.59 and 0.16 percentage points. Agencies looking for cost-effective ways to use communications to boost vaccine uptake in the field—whether for COVID-19 or for other diseases-may want to evaluate program effectiveness early on so messages and methods may be adjusted as needed, and they should expect effects to be smaller than those seen in academic studies.

Using clinical cutoff scores on the eating disorder examination-questionnaire to evaluate eating disorder symptoms during and after naturalistic intensive treatment

ABSTRACT Clinical cutoff scores for self-report measures provide a means of evaluating clinically significant pathology during and after treatment. A cutoff of 2.8 on the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) has been recommended to screen for eating disorders (ED). We used this cutoff to assess ED symptoms in adolescents (n = 444) and adults (n = 592) through ED treatment and follow-up. Most patients scored above 2.8 at intake (adolescents 67%, M = 3.21; adults 78%, M = 4.20) and below 2.8 at discharge (adolescents 65%, M = 1.87; adults 66%, M = 2.67), with gains often maintained through follow-up (40% of adolescents and 35% of adults at 12-month follow-up). EDE-Q scores were higher in adults than adolescents and in patients with binge/purge disorders. Results suggest a cutoff of 2.8 on the EDE-Q effectively tracks ED symptom improvement through treatment and discharge. This supports the need for the development of culture-specific and empirically developed clinical cutoffs and their widespread use to evaluate program effectiveness.