Outreach and program evaluation: Some measurement issues

Abstract

Literally, the word “outreach” evokes the image of “reaching out,” attempting to touch what is currently beyond one's grasp. Activities that help organizations to “reach out” are important elements of most services, and some organizations employ outreach paraprofessionals whose primary function is to help recruit participants into a program. Because outreach is supposed to occur before individuals receive the goods or services offered by an organization, evaluations generally do not measure the amount of outreach contact. However, outreach and program intervention activities tend to overlap when an organization encounters resistance from a population of potential consumers. Drawing on 10 years of experience evaluating HIV risk-reduction interventions for drug users who are not in treatment, the authors argue that outreach workers are part of the intervention continuum, and have important effects not only on recruitment, but also on service delivery. We argue that the evaluation and measurement issues raised by pre-enrollment outreach contacts can be best addressed by improving quantitative pre-enrollment data collection. Finally, we present and discuss specific elements of a system for measuring pre-enrollment contacts.