A Stepwise Guide to Evaluating Prevention Programs

This Annex provides specific examples of how evaluations may be conducted for different types of programs aimed at preventing alcohol misuse. They outline a number of key steps to take and suggest the types of data that may be gathered, the questions that may be asked, and other parameters that may be applied.

The recommendations in this Annex are intended to be indicative only. The most appropriate approach will need to be identified and applied individually in each instance. It will be determined by the specifics of the initiative being assessed, particular conditions that may exist, cultural and other considerations, and available resources.

The Stepwise Guide is intended to complement ICAP’s 2010 toolkit A Guide to Evaluating Prevention Programs. Together, these two documents offer more comprehensive guidance to designing and implementing evaluations. This Annex applies the principles of evaluation to two scenarios that mirror the types of initiatives likely to be implemented by industry stakeholders – producers, trade associations, and SAOs.

The case studies are:

·         Case Study 1:   Evaluating an Awareness Campaign around the Use of Designated Drivers

·         Case Study 2:   Evaluating a School-based Alcohol Education Program (adapted from Evaluation Guidelines for Education Interventions to Promote Responsible Drinking amongst Young People in Seven European Countries, developed by the European Forum on Responsible Drinking, www.efrd.org)

Each Case Study addresses the following three phases of evaluation: 

·         Phase 1: Planning and Inception

·         Phase 2: Data Collection

·         Phase 3: Reporting and Dissemination