Program Goals and Objectives
"A goal is a future event toward which a committed endeavor is directed; objectives are the steps to be taken in pursuit of a goal."
Healthy People 2010 Goals and Objectives
- www.health.gov/healthypeople/About/goals.htm
- www.health.gov/healthypeople/Search/objectives.htm
- www.health.state.mn.us/divs/chs/phg/goals.html
"Broad, timeless statement of a long-range program
purpose"
"General statements of intent"
In comparison to objectives, a goal is an expectation that:
- Is much more encompassing, or global
- Is written to include all aspects or components of a program
- Provides overall direction for a program
- Is more general in nature
- Usually takes longer to complete
- Usually is not observed, but rather must be inferred because it includes
words like evaluate, know, improve, understand
- Is not measurable in exact terms
EXAMPLES OF PROGRAM GOALS
- To reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease in the employees
of the Smith Company.
- All cases of measles in the City of Alexandria will be eliminated.
- To stop the spread of HIV in the youth of Indiana.
- To reduce the cases of lung cancer caused by exposure to secondhand
smoke in Duluth, MN.
- To reduce the incidence of influenza in the residents of the Delaware
County Home.
- The survival rate of breast cancer patients will be raised through
optimal use of community resources.
Objectives
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/chs/phs/phs.html
"More precise and represent small steps than program goals….steps
that, if completed, will lead to reaching the program goals"
"Outline in measurable terms the specific changes that will occur
in the target population at a given point in time as a result of exposure
to the program"
|
Type
of Objective |
Program
Outcomes |
Possible
Evaluation Measures |
Type
of Evaluation |
| Process / Administrative Objectives | Activities presented and tasks completed. | Number of sessions heald, exposure, attendance, participation, staff performance, appropriate materials, adequacy of resources, tasks on schedule. | Process |
| Learning Objectives | Challenge in awareness, knowledge, attitudes, and skills. | Increase in awareness, knowledge, attitudes, and skill. | Outcome |
| Action / Behavioral and Environmental Objectives | Behavior adoption, change in environment. | Change in behavior, hazards or barriers removed from the environment | Outcome |
| Program Objectives | Change in quality of life (QOL), health status, or risk, and social benefits | QOL measures morbidity data, mortality data, measures of risk (i.e. HRA), physiological measures, signs and symptoms | Impact |
Elements of an Objective:
- The outcome to be achieved, or what will change.
- The conditions under which the outcome will be observed, or when the
change will occur.
- The criterion for deciding whether the outcome has been achieved,
or how much change.
- The target population, or who will change.
See also > Center for Health Promotion > Health Promotion and Chronic Disease