Outreach Evaluation Resource Center
Quarterly Report: August - October, 2001
Training and continuing education
Oct. 11: C. Burroughs conducted a joint RML staff evaluation workshop at NLM for new and current staff in Regions 1, 2, and 8, and several NLM program staff.
Oct. 30: C. Burroughs and M. Blake conducted a joint RML staff evaluation workshop in Chicago for new and current staff in Regions 3 and 5, and a guest network librarian who has RML outreach funding. Results from class satisfaction surveys of both workshops were generally very positive.
Web site development
C. Burroughs learned Dreamweaver software to post several content revisions on the OERC website, including a description of the center, the evaluation workshop and additional resources for evaluation planning.
Consultation with Network members and NNO
C. Burroughs met with Anne Turner, an NLM Informatics Fellow, to talk about her upcoming study of public health information needs.C. Burroughs shared the qualitative analysis done on evaluation reports submitted by public health outreach projects for the Public Health Outreach Forum in March 2001.
Virginia Bowden, lead investigator of the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley Health Information Hispanic Outreach project, requested that C. Burroughs talk with Dr. Cindy Olney at the University of Texas, San Antonio, a prospective evaluation consultant for the project. C. Burroughs reviewed Cindy Olney's resume and talked with her by phone regarding her vision for assessing the community and developing an evaluation plan for this community-based outreach effort. Dr. Olney agreed to use the evaluation guide Measuring the Difference: Guide to Health Information Outreach Planning and Evaluation in the project and provide feedback to OERC and NLM regarding its usefulness.
Kathy Murray at the University of Alaska asked C. Burroughs to review her proposed idea for a needs assessment of public health nurses in Alaska and for help in identifying an evaluation consultant for the project. C. Burroughs recommended Susan Usitalo based on her work on a Tribal Connections outcomes study. S. Usitalo and C. Burroughs discussed the project and plans for the design of the assessment.
C. Burroughs and Angela Ruffin began preliminary discussions about planning the RML program wide evaluation effort. C. Burroughs developed a concept memo to outline issues and considerations for an in-person meeting with A. Ruffin, Sherrilynne Fuller, and Neil Rambo at the PNC meeting in Salishan, Oregon. Based on that discussion, C. Burroughs developed a revised memo used in a subsequent planning meeting at NLM with A. Ruffin, Betsy Humphries, Becky Lyon, and C. Burroughs.
Assistance with analysis, synthesis, and reporting of evaluation results
C. Burroughs assisted in developing research methodology and interview questions for a study to review the PNR website and associated information needs of targeted users. C. Burroughs assisted with conducting interviews, analyzing results, and using the information to develop a prototype revision of the website.
Communications and collaboration
Marlo Young, an NLM Associate Fellow, asked C. Burroughs to review a draft 37-page report "Hispanic Health Information Outreach: Culturally Sensitive Tactics." The report addresses the importance of community-based efforts for effective outreach outcomes and includes several references to theories and principles in Measuring the Difference: Guide to Health Information Outreach Planning and Evaluation.
Elaine Graham, associate director of PSR, asked C. Burroughs to review the final project report submitted by Zoe Stavri for the MedlinePlus evaluation funded through the PSR.
C. Burroughs contributed sections about community assessment and evaluation for a draft article describing the process and results of Tribal Connections project thus far. PNR and NLM staff met to discuss the article and ideas about Tribal Connections Phase 3 that will be a more indepth effort at applying community-based approaches to health skills training in tribal communities. C. Burroughs investigated key contacts in the fields of health education and health communications with demonstrable expertise in evaluation of community-based health activities that might assist or collaborate on the TC3 project.
C. Burroughs was co-author on two articles about the Public Health Outreach Forum held in March of 2001 at NLM:
Zenan JS, Rambo N, Burroughs CM, Alpi KM, Cahn MA, Rankin J. Public Health Outreach Forum: report. Bulletin of the Medical Library Association. Oct. 2001; 89(4); 400-3.
Rambo N, Zenan JS, Alpi KM, Burroughs CM, Cahn MA, Rankin J. Public Health Outreach Forum: lessons learned. Bulletin of the Medical Library Association. Oct. 2001; 89(4); 403-6.
Utilization and promotion of the evaluation guide
There were 61 individual requests for the guide via the OERC website. Copies of the guide were distributed by PNR staff at relevant conference exhibits such as the National Indian Education Association in Billings, MT; and the Washington State Joint Conference on Health in Yakima, WA. Christine Owens requested a copy of the guide for use in planning and evaluating the NLM funded project "Accessing Online Information for Immigrant and Refugee Health."
