bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluation in Our New Normal Environment: Navigating the Challenges with Data Collection
Authors: Persaud Nadini , Dagher Ruby 
Published: April 2023

Background: Data collection is a critical component of all evaluations. However, it often presents a number of challenges under the best of circumstances. For instance, the evaluation budget and time frame both have implications for the quality and type of data that is collected. Additionally, adherence to high quality international ethical best practices is necessary when collecting data for any purpose, methodological rigor is important for ensuring the credibility of the evaluation, improving access to important documents and stakeholders, as well as decreasing excessive evaluation anxiety on the part of critical stakeholders, when possible, is vital. These challenges have now been considerably exacerbated by the COVID-19 global health pandemic which has changed our world in fundamental ways. In what is now considered as our new normal environment, evaluators will need to make profound changes to the manner in which they plan and undertake data collection.
Objectives: This paper examines the many and varied challenges that will be encountered with data collection in our new normal environment. This new normal has had an impact on evaluation practices in all countries, developed and developing, and has significantly amplified existing challenges in countries with limited evaluation culture, budgets, technological coverage, access, and connectivity. It makes an important contribution to the literature since data collection has historically and traditionally been conducted using primarily face-to-face field work and through the freedom of movement of people to undertake this task.
Setting: Not applicable.
Intervention: Not applicable.
Research Design: Desk review was utilized for the preparation of this paper.
Findings: Evaluators need to be extremely flexible, innovative, and amendable to different approaches to data collections as our new normal environment will likely be with us for a while. This pandemic has thrown everyone a very painful curveball and introduced significant new work-related challenges for a myriad of work types and work environments. Innovation and the willingness to learn new methods have become an important necessity to help with learning, accountability, transparency. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the plight of the most vulnerable and evidence-based data is the only means to assist this group. Evaluators must rise to the challenge, devise new ways to collect data that is credible and useful, and continue to promote the importance and benefits of the field of evaluation. As such, evaluators have an important role to play in the global economic recovery efforts.
Keywords: budgets, challenges; COVID-19; data collection; evaluation; evaluators; new normal environment; time frame
Developmental Evaluation in Theory versus Practice: Lessons from Three Developmental Evaluation Pilots
Authors: Esper Heather L. , Fatehi Yaquta K. , Baylor Rebecca 
Published: April 2023

Background. Developmental Evaluation (DE) practitioners turn to DE theory to make design and implementation decisions. However, DE practitioners can experience difficulty in fully understanding how to implement DE using theory because it is method agnostic (Patton, 2016). Instead, DE is a principle-based approach.
Purpose. This article presents an empirical examination of how DE theory was (or was not) applied during three DE pilots. Our analysis aims to better understand how DE theory is used in practice to expand the evidence base and strengthen future DE implementation.
Setting. A consortium of three organizations implemented three DE pilots through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) from November 2016 to September 2019. The authors—who participated in the consortium—did not implement the DEs but instead conducted a study or meta-evaluation across the DE pilots.
Data Collection and Analysis. This article focuses on the results of an ex post facto analysis of three DE pilots based on the entire DE implementation experience. For each DE studied, we used mixed methods to collect data on the effectiveness of the DE approach, to identify adaptations to strengthen DE implementation in the USAID context, and to measure its value to stakeholders. Data included more than 100 hours of interviews, 465 pages of qualitative data, and 30 surveys completed by DE participants.
Findings. We find that the ability to apply the DE principles in practice is influenced, in no particular order, by DE participant buy-in to the DE, the Developmental Evaluator’s aptitude, support and resources available to the Developmental Evaluator, and the number of DE participants. We also find that buy-in can change and this should be closely monitored throughout a DE to inform whether a DE should be paused or prematurely ended.
Keywords: Developmental Evaluation; developmental evaluator skills; buy-in; DE practice; DE funder; meta-evaluation
How did conservation agriculture go to scale?
Authors: Ramirez Ricardo , Neudoerffer Cynthia , Salomons Michael 
Published: April 2023

Background
The Foodgrains Bank has an established record working in agriculture and food security with resource constrained, marginalized farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. The three outcome areas of the Scaling-Up Conservation Agriculture in East Africa (SUCA) Program were: the adoption of conservation agriculture systems, an enabling institutional environment, and the promotion of enabling policies. These program areas were expected to yield intermediate outcomes that, together, would lead to the ultimate outcome of improved food security and sustainable livelihoods for smallholder farming households in East Africa. This case study reports on the end-line evaluation of the five-year program.
Purpose
To illustrate the overlap between utilization-focused evaluation (UFE) and collaborative approaches to evaluation (CAE). The case study profiles an agricultural intervention, and explores how the evaluation design accommodated the systemic nature of the program.
Setting
Scaling-Up Conservation Agriculture in East Africa (SUCA) was a five-year program of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank implemented from 2015-2020 to expand the size and scope of Foodgrains Bank’s work in conservation agriculture in East Africa. The program supported local partners with a target of 50,000 male and female farmers practicing a minimum of 2 of 3 conservation agriculture principles, and to improve food security and sustainable livelihoods for 18,000 of these farmers’ households across three countries.
Research design
The Foodgrains Bank was directly involved in the evaluation design through the definition of evaluation uses and key evaluation questions. Eleven implementing partners in East Africa were involved in primary data collection and some initial analysis.
Data collection and analysis
A mixed method approach was used combining quantitative, qualitative, and participatory / visual data collection tools. A robust, intersectional gender lens was applied to the data collection instruments in the form of gender disaggregated data collection and gender-focused questions across most data collection instruments.
Findings
The collaborative process confirmed a sense of ownership by the primary evaluation users over the evaluation design. The evaluation design combined outcome and learning uses that took advantages of the implementing organizations’ commitment to learning. The findings demonstrated the value of the program and produced a framework illustrating the multi-disciplinary approach underlying its success.
Empathy Training: Methods, Evaluation Practices, and Validity
Authors: Lam Tony Chiu Ming , Kolomitro Klodiana , Alamparambil Flanny C. 
Published: April 2023

Background: Empathy is an individual’s capacity to understand the behavior of others, to experience their feelings, and to express that understanding to them. Empathic ability is an asset professionally for individuals, such as teachers, physicians and social workers, who work with people. Being empathetic is also critical to our being able to live with others in general, and ultimately to leading happier lives. Subsequently it seems imperative to examine if and how it is possible to enhance people’s empathic ability.
Purpose: The purpose of this article is to use narrative review method to analyze studies of empathy training in human service and social science disciplines over the past thirty years to address the questions: “How have people been trained in empathy and what are the findings?” and “How was empathy training evaluated and how valid are these evaluation findings?”
Setting: Not applicable.
Intervention: Not applicable.
Research Design: Not applicable.
Data Collection and Analysis: Narrative review.
Findings: Twenty-nine articles pertaining to empathy training evaluation research were identified based on an advanced computer search on the following databases: “Education Full Text,” “ProQuest Education Journals,” “Web of Knowledge” and “Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC). Seven types of training methods were noted in these 29 evaluations with the most popular being didactic related (42%). All but two studies (93%) reported positive findings, mainly in regard to learning (86%), or the cognitive component of empathy. These findings suggest that regardless of the training method, individuals can learn about the concept of empathy. Unfortunately, information pertaining to the effects of training on individuals’ feeling for others, and their ability and propensity to take the perspective of others and to demonstrate it in the natural environments is lacking. Consequently, very little is known about the trainability of the affective and behavioral components of empathy. Also, some of the findings were moderated by gender, age, education level, and time of measurement. Regarding evaluation research designs, most of the studies used self-reporting to collect trainees’ knowledge about empathy and most of the quantitative studies used a control group and pretesting to examine training impact. Construct validity of both empathy measurement and training is very problematic. A majority of the studies did not clearly define empathy, provide training as defined, and/or measure what is being trained; conceptualization of empathy across studies was not consistent either. In sum, data from the studies reviewed were neither complete nor valid enough to provide a clear and full understanding of the trainability of empathy. More research is apparently needed and hopefully lessons learned from our review will be considered in designing future studies.
Conducting Democratic Evaluations where Democratic Principles are not always Practiced
Authors: Kurt Serhat 
Published: April 2023

Background: Turkey is a fast-developing country facing a lot of different problems. One of the problems is inadequate education. A large project was started to improve Turkish elementary education. The project includes many different purposes from physical refurbishment of school buildings, to increasing technology use in education. The author of this paper carried out a democratic study to evaluate this project. This article reports on what was learned from this evaluation study conducted in Turkey. Purpose: The purpose of this article is to examine how democratic evaluations can be used to help understand the complex realities where undemocratic ideology has a long history. Setting: This evaluation study was conducted in an elementary school from a lower-middle class neighborhood. Intervention: Not applicable. Research Design: Qualitative method of inquiry was applied. Data Collection and Analysis: The data mostly came from the interviews. However document analysis and observations were also conducted. Qualitative data from the interviews and observations were analyzed to interpret meaningful patterns or themes. Findings: It was concluded that democratic evaluations can serve an important mission by informing the public when the public’s role is limited in the decision making process. Further, democratic evaluators can serve as middle men who transfer information among the stakeholders, helping the evaluated program’s or project’s success. Finally, democratic evaluations can help increase democracy where democratic values are not always obeyed. Keywords: Democratic evaluation; Turkey; education; democracy; educational technology
Thinking Beyond Measurement, Description and Judgement: Fourth Generation Evaluation in Family-Centered Pediatric Healthcare Organizations
Authors: Moreau Katherine Ann , Clarkin Chantalle Louise 
Published: April 2023

Background: Although pediatric healthcare organizations have widely implemented the philosophy of family-centered care (FCC), evaluators and health professionals have not explored how to preserve the philosophy of FCC in evaluation processes. Purpose: To illustrate how fourth generation evaluation, in theory, could facilitate collaboration between evaluators and families and uphold the philosophy of FCC in evaluation. Exploration focuses on describing the ways in which fourth generation evaluation is consistent with FCC and outlining a strategy for implementing it within pediatric healthcare organizations. Discussion: Current evaluation practices used in healthcare organizations reflect what some describe as the first three generations of evaluation: measurement-, descriptive-, and judgment-oriented evaluation. While these generations encourage evaluators and health professionals to use systematic and rigorous approaches and techniques, they negate opportunities to explore issues that may surface in more flexible evaluation processes and do little to promote FCC in evaluation. Fourth generation evaluation is based on the constructivist paradigm, and its hermeneutic dialectic process moves beyond these generations, as well as the problems associated with them, to reflect the FCC notions of family participation, partnership, collaboration, respect, and joint decision-making. Conclusion: The collaborative and dialogue-oriented environment of pediatric healthcare organizations provides an ideal context for fourth generation evaluation. Although this evaluation approach is consistent with the philosophy of FCC, more research is required to understand the strengths and limitations of using it in these organizations.Keywords: family-centered care; pediatrics; fourth generation evaluation; constructivist paradigm
Stakeholder Involvement in Evaluation: Three Decades of the American Journal of Evaluation
Authors: Rodriguez-Campos Liliana 
Published: April 2023

Background: Stakeholder involvement in various phases of evaluation has received increasing attention over the past three decades. Indeed, the American Journal of Evaluation (AJE) has reflected this overall philosophy and strategy through a number of publications about several theoretical frameworks and practical applications. Those AJE articles outline the primary assumptions of the stakeholder approaches to evaluation, their practical applications, constraints, and benefits for providing a new direction in evaluation. Purpose: What lessons are there for our field concerning the way that stakeholder involvement has been conceptualized and applied in AJE? This article focuses on the ways in which AJE authors have approached the notion of stakeholder involvement over the past three decades, drawing on key articles from scholarship on this topic. Setting: Not applicable. Intervention: Not applicable. Research Design: Not applicable. Data Collection and Analysis: Desk review. Findings: This review shows how AJE has enhanced our understanding of the evolution of these approaches to evaluation, from a global perspective to differentiated approaches with a shared theme. Keywords: collaborative evaluation; participatory evaluation; empowerment evaluation; stakeholder approaches to evaluation; stakeholder involvement
Management of giant-cell arteritis in Switzerland: an online national survey
Authors: Iudici Michele , Hemmig Andrea Katharina , Stegert Mihaela , Courvoisier Courvoisier , Adler Sabine , Becker Mike Oliver , Berger Christoph T. , Dan Diana , Finckh Axel , Mahr Alfred , Neumann Thomas , Reichenbach Stephan , Ribi Camillo , Seitz Luca , Villiger Peter , Wildi Lukas , Daikeler Thomas , On behalf of Giant Cell Arteritis SCQM Study Group  
Published: April 2023

AIMS OF THE STUDY: To assess current practices in diagnosing, treating, and following-up giant-cell arteritis by specialists in Switzerland and to identify the main barriers to using diagnostic tools.
METHODS: We performed a national survey of specialists potentially caring for patients with giant-cell arteritis. The survey was sent by email to all members of the Swiss Societies of Rheumatology and for Allergy and Immunology. A reminder was sent to nonresponders after 4 and 12 weeks. Its questions covered the following dimensions: respondents’ main characteristics, diagnosis, treatment, and imaging’s role during follow-up. The main study results were summarized using descriptive statistics.
RESULTS: Ninety-one specialists, primarily aged 46–65 years (n = 53/89; 59%), working in academic or nonacademic hospitals or private practice, and treating a median of 7.5 (interquartile range [IQR]: 3–12) patients with giant-cell arteritis per year participated in this survey. Ultrasound of temporal arteries/large vessels (n = 75/90; 83%) and positron-emission-tomography-computed tomography (n = 52/91; 57%) or magnetic resonance imaging (n = 46/90; 51%) of the aorta/extracranial arteries were the most common techniques used to diagnose giant-cell arteritis with cranial or large vessel involvement, respectively. Most participants reported a short time to obtain imaging tests or arterial biopsy. The glucocorticoid tapering scheme, glucocorticoid-sparing agent, and glucocorticoid-sparing treatment duration varied among the participants. Most physicians did not follow a predefined repeat imaging scheme for follow-up and mainly relied on structural changes (vascular thickening, stenosis, or dilatation) to drive treatment choice.
CONCLUSIONS: This survey indicates that imaging and temporal biopsy are rapidly accessible for diagnosing giant-cell arteritis in Switzerland but highlights heterogeneous practice in many disease management areas.
TÍNH KHẢ THI VÀ AN TOÀN CỦA KỸ THUẬT MỞ ĐƯỜNG VÀO ĐỘNG MẠCH QUAY ĐOẠN XA ĐỂ CHỤP VÀ CAN THIỆP ĐỘNG MẠCH VÀNH
Authors: Đinh Huỳnh Linh , Nguyễn Ngọc Quang 
Published: April 2023

Mục tiêu: Đánh giá tính khả thi và an toàn trong chụp, can thiệp động mạch vành (ĐMV) qua đường vào đoạn xa động mạch quay.
Đối tượng và phương pháp: 90 bệnh nhân có chỉ định chụp và can thiệp ĐMV qua da được sử dụng đường vào đoạn xa động mạch quay tại Viện Tim Mạch - Bệnh viện Bạch Mai, từ tháng 8 năm 2020 đến tháng 10 năm 2021.
Kết quả: Tuổi trung bình: 68,04 ± 9,75 tuổi, tỉ lệ nam/nữ: 2/1. Chỉ định chụp ĐMV: chủ yếu là hội chứng vành cấp (78,9%), trong đó nhồi máu cơ tim cấp có ST chênh lên chiếm 13,3%. Tỷ lệ thành công của thủ thuật mở đường vào đoạn xa động mạch quay là 94,5%. Không có biến chứng tại chỗ trong và sau can thiệp.
Kết luận: Mở đường vào động mạch quay đoạn xa để chụp và can thiệp ĐMV kỹ thuật có tính khả thi, tính ứng dụng và an toàn cao.
KNOWLEDGE OF CONTRACEPTION AND SAFE SEX AMONG STUDENTS AT CANTHO UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND PHARMACY, VIET NAM
Authors: Nguyen Phuc Hong Ngoc , Nguyen Quoc Tuan , Ba Tho Ngoc Chuyen , Le Dai Khanh Duy , Nguyen Thi Cam Tien , Nguyen Thuy Duong 
Published: April 2023

Background: Viet Nam was one of the countries with the highest abortion rate in the world, of which about 70% were of the adolescents. Nowadays, students at Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy are facing many problems related to reproductive health such as unwanted pregnancy, abortion, sexually transmitted diseases, homosexuality... Objectives: To determine the proportion of medical students at Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy have correct knowledge about contraceptive methods and safe sex and its related factors. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study with analysis was carried out on 370 first-year, second-year and third-year general medicine students who were studying at Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy at the age of 18-24. Results: The results showed that the rates of students had a high knowlege of contraception and practicing safe sex were 8.38% and 28.65% respectively. The statistically significant factors include: For students with high knowledge about contraception: having already taken a Reproductive Health module, learning from internet by themselves and joining Union/Association activities; For students with high knowledge about safe sex: having a hometown in an urban area; learning from newspaper and books, home schooling, friends and general knowledges. Conclusion: Students’ knowledge about contraceptive methods was not good. Students' knowledge about safe sex was quite good. Related factors to high knowledge about contraception and safe sex of students: having already taken a Reproductive Health module, having a hometown in an urban area, joining Union/Association activities, learning from internet, newspaper and books, home schooling, friends and general knowledges.
Experiencia de prohibición del consumo de tabaco en una unidad de psiquiatría en tiempos de pandemia
Authors: López López Carla , Freijeiro Llorca Ana 
Published: April 2023

Introducción. Los objetivos de este trabajo fueron evaluar el grado de dependencia tabáquica de los pacientes ingresados en el servicio de psiquiatría de un hospital de tercer nivel y relatar la experiencia vivida por los pacientes los primeros meses de la prohibición de fumar en la Unidad de Hospitalización de Psiquiatría de dicho hospital. Metodología. Se realizó un estudio con enfoque cuantitativo y cualitativo en el que se administró el test de Fagerström y se realizaron entrevistas semiestructuradas a 47 pacientes seleccionados mediante muestreo no probabilístico por conveniencia. Resultados. De los pacientes encuestados, 32 participantes usaron parche durante su ingreso hospitalario. No fue necesario utilizar un método de contención más allá de la verbal o de la farmacológica. Manifestaron tener una dependencia alta al tabaco en el Test de Fagerström 22 participantes. El parche de nicotina se consideró un método eficaz. Además, se encontraron otras estrategias efectivas para afrontar los síntomas de la abstinencia tabáquica. Las incidencias relacionadas con el cese del consumo fueron puntales. Discusión. No hay motivo que justifique mantener el hábito tabáquico en una unidad de hospitalización psiquiátrica. Puede que el retraso en la implementación de esta medida venga motivado por el estigma hacia los pacientes con problemas de salud mental que sigue presente dentro de los propios sanitarios.

ABSTRACT
Introduction. The objectives of this study were to assess the degree of tobacco dependence of patients admitted to the psychiatry service of a third-level hospital and to report the experience lived by the patients during the first months of the smoking ban in the Psychiatric Hospitalization Unit of this hospital. Methodology. A study with a quantitative and qualitative approach was conducted using the Fagerström test and semi-structured interviews with 47 patients selected by non-probabilistic convenience sampling. Results. Among the patients surveyed, 32 participants used the nicotine patch during their hospital stay. It was not necessary to use a restraint method other than verbal or pharmacological. A high dependence on tobacco in the Fagerström Test was reported by 22 participants. The nicotine patch was considered an effective method. In addition, other effective strategies were found to deal with the symptoms of smoking withdrawal. Incidents related to the cessation of consumption were punctual. Discussion. There is no reason that justifies maintaining the smoking habit in a psychiatric hospitalization unit. The delay in the implementation of this measure may be motivated by the stigma towards patients with mental health problems that are still present among the health professionals themselves.