Using bottom-up evaluation to build community practice-based evidence and strengthen community-engaged research

IF 1.5 Q2 SOCIAL WORK

Journal of Community Practice Pub Date : 2023-11-02 DOI:10.1080/10705422.2023.2276350

Colleen M. Fisher, Ritti Sangadji, Diana Njoki Mwangi

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

ABSTRACTNon-governmental organizations (NGOs) play a critical role in mitigating social problems by creating innovative interventions to address unmet community needs, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. These community-generated interventions are rarely evaluated or recognized within the prevention science lexicon that informs evidence-based practice, but bottom-up evaluation (BUE) offers researchers an approach to help reverse this trend. This paper illustrates BUE processes using evaluation of an NGO-created intervention for HIV-positive single mothers in Kenya as a case example. The participatory BUE study involved three phases: (1) viability assessment via qualitative participant interviews; (2) evaluation preparation and NGO capacity-building; and (3) effectiveness evaluation. Qualitative interview data revealed 24 intervention outcomes most impactful to participants’ lives and confirmed intervention viability. Participatory mapping identified key program outcomes for inclusion in the evaluation instrument, which was developed collaboratively with program staff. Effectiveness evaluation findings suggest that the intervention improved the health, psychosocial wellbeing, and economic security of single mothers facing the dual challenges of HIV/AIDS and extreme poverty. As illustrated in this study, bottom-up evaluation offers social work researchers an approach that can center voices of intervention participants, build community practice-based evidence, and strengthen community-engaged research in alignment with social work priorities and values.KEYWORDS: Community-engaged researchinterventionevaluationglobal social workparticipatory research AcknowledgmentsEarlier versions of this paper were presented at the American Public Health Association’s 2021 Annual Meeting and Expo and the 2023 Global Awareness Society International conference.Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1. Digital story available at https://express.adobe.com/page/QLaQyHJ3c4ZZf/

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利用自下而上的评估建立基于社区实践的证据，加强社区参与的研究

摘要非政府组织(ngo)通过创造创新的干预措施来解决未满足的社区需求，在缓解社会问题方面发挥着关键作用，特别是在低收入和中等收入国家。这些社区产生的干预措施很少在预防科学词汇中得到评估或认可，这些词汇为循证实践提供了信息，但自下而上的评估(BUE)为研究人员提供了一种帮助扭转这一趋势的方法。本文以肯尼亚一个非政府组织为艾滋病毒阳性单身母亲创建的干预措施的评估为例，说明了BUE过程。参与式绿色能源研究包括三个阶段:(1)通过定性参与者访谈进行可行性评估;(2)评价准备和NGO能力建设;(3)有效性评价。定性访谈数据揭示了24项干预结果对参与者的生活影响最大，并证实了干预的可行性。参与式绘图确定了将纳入评估工具的关键项目成果，该工具是与项目工作人员合作开发的。有效性评价结果表明，干预措施改善了面临艾滋病毒/艾滋病和极端贫困双重挑战的单身母亲的健康、心理社会福利和经济安全。正如本研究所示，自下而上的评估为社会工作研究人员提供了一种方法，可以集中干预参与者的声音，建立基于社区实践的证据，并加强与社会工作优先事项和价值观相一致的社区参与研究。本文的早期版本已在美国公共卫生协会2021年年会和博览会以及2023年全球意识学会国际会议上发表。披露声明作者未报告潜在的利益冲突。数字故事可在https://express.adobe.com/page/QLaQyHJ3c4ZZf/

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来源期刊

Journal of Community Practice SOCIAL WORK-

CiteScore

2.40

自引率

18.20%

发文量

期刊介绍： The Journal of Community Practice is an interdisciplinary journal grounded in social work. It is designed to provide a forum for community practice, including community organizing, planning, social administration, organizational development, community development, and social change. The journal contributes to the advancement of knowledge related to numerous disciplines, including social work and the social sciences, urban planning, social and economic development, community organizing, policy analysis, urban and rural sociology, community health, public administration, and nonprofit management. As a forum for authors and a resource for readers, this journal makes an invaluable contribution to the community"s conceptualization, applications, and practice.