O-P
From The Communities That Care WIKI
A-B C-D E-F G-H I-J K-L M-N O-P Q-R S-T U-V W-X Y-Z
O
Objective
Objective - Specific results or effects of a program's activities that must be achieved in pursuing the program's ultimate goals [for example, a treatment program may expect to change participants' attitudes (objective) in order to ultimately reduce recidivism (goal). As used in the Achieving Outcomes Guide, measurable statements of the expected changes in risks, assets, or other underlying conditions as expressed in the program's guiding theory of change (Achieving Outcomes, Dec. 2001). Source
Outcomes
The extent of change in targeted attitudes, values, behaviors,or conditions betweenbaseline measurement and susequent points of measurement. Depending on the nature of the intervention and the theory of change guiding it, changes can be immediate, intermediate, final and longer-term outcomes. For example, changes in attitudes and values may be the final outcome of an informational intervention. However, changes in attitudes and values may be the immediate outcome of a parenting program that builds on those chnges to bring about changes in communication patters and other skills (intermediate outcomes). Changes in communication patterns would, in turn, strengthen middle school children's resistance to negative peer pressure (intermediate outcome), resulting in a delay in the onset of substance use (final outcome). Source
Outcomes-based prevention
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Outcome Evaluation
A type of evaluation used to identify the results of a program's effort. It seeks to answer the question, "what difference did the program make?" It yields evidence about the effects of a program after a specified period of operation. Source
Outcome measure
Outcome Measures - Assessments that gauge the effect or results of services provided to a defined population. Outcomes measures include the consumers' perception of restoration of function, quality of life, and functional status; as well as objective measures of mortality, morbidity, and health status. Source
P
Partnership
A partnership is a relationship where two or more parties, having common and compatible goals, agree to work together for a particular purpose and/or for some period of time.Source
Performance targets
Performance targets also referred to as performance goals - are the desired level of achievement of standards of care or service. These may be expressed as desired minimum performance levels (thresholds), industry best performance (benchmarks), or the permitted variance from the standard. Performance goals usually are not static but change as performance improves and/or the standard of care is refined. Source
Policy
A policy is a deliberate plan of action to guide decisions and achieve rational outcome(s). The term may apply to government, private sector organizations and groups, and individuals. Presidential executive orders, corporate privacy policies, and parliamentary rules of order are all examples of policy. Policy differs from rules or law. While law can compel or prohibit behaviors (e.g. a law requiring the payment of taxes on income) policy merely guides actions toward those that are most likely to achieve a desired outcome. Source
Population-level change
Focuses on change for entire populations meaning collections of individuals who have one or more personal or environmental characteristics in common. Public health models affect whole populations or communities of people rather than focusing on individual change as is the practice of programs.
Practice
Most commonly, practice is a learning method, the act of rehearsing a behavior over and over, or engaging in an activity again and again, for the purpose of improving or mastering it, as in the phrase "practice makes perfect". Practice may also be working to achieve something, like a goal. A practice refers to a way that something is done (e.g., conventional medical practice). The term is also used to refer to certain profession-based businesses (e.g., law practice, medical practice) or certain traditions in doing some jobs. Source
Preliminary Action Plan
A tentative or draft Action Plan.
Prevalence
The number of all new and old cases of a disease or occurrences of an event during a particular time period, usually expressed as a rate, with the number of cases or events as the numerator and the population at risk as the denominator. Prevalance rates are often presented in standard terms such as the number of cases per 100,000 population. Source
Prevention
Prevention is a proactive process that empowers individuals and systems to meet the challenges of life events and transitions by creating and reinforcing conditions that promote healthy behaviors and lifestyles. The goal of substance abuse prevnetion is the fostering of a climate in which a) alcohol use is acceptable only for those of legal age and only when the risk of adverse consequences in minimal; (b) prescription and over-the-counter drugs are used only for the purposes for which they were intended; (c) other abusable substances (e.g., aerosols) are used only for their intended purposes; and (d) illegal drugs and tobacco are not used at all. Source
Pricing
Pricing of alcohol measures the economic availability of alcohol in a community when all promotions and discounts are considered. Examples include the proportion of drinking establishments offering discount prices (2 for 1, $2 you call it) or the amount of tax impossed upon variouis alcohol products.
Process evaluation
Process evaluation focuses on how a program or action was implemented and operates. It identifies the procedures undertaken and the decisions made in developing and carrying out the planned action. This information provides insights into how closely the planned action was followed and helps identify any changes or deviations made that could explain the outcomes. The information can also be valuable in looking at how to improve for the next implementation. Source
Process measures
Measures of participation, "dosage", staffing and other factors related to the implementation. Process measures are not outcomes because they describe events that are inputs to the delivery of an intervention. Source
Program
A coordinated set of activities designed to achieve specific objectives over a period of time. Source
Program evaluation
Program evaluation is the systematic collection of information to answer important questions about activities, characteristics and outcomes of a program. Evaluation stages include design, data collection, data analysis and interpretation and reporting. Source
Project management
Project management is the discipline of organizing and managing resources (e.g. people) in such a way that the project is completed within defined scope, quality, time and cost constraints. Source
Promotion
Promotion of alcohol use measures the degree to which alcohol use is glamorized through advertisement and sponsorship in the community. Examples include sponsorship of community events such as stockcar races and rodeos or the number of advertisements that make alcohol consumption more attractive.
Pro-social Involvement
Youth who perceive more opportunities for involvement in pro-social activities in the community and at school are more likely to participate in such activities and less likely to use drugs. Pro-social Involvement is measured by the Communities That Care constructs "Opportunities for Pro-social Community Involvement" within the Community domain protective factors and "Opportunities for Pro-social School Involvement" within the School domain protective factors. Source: Arthur et al
Protective factors
Protective factors are those characteristics that may strengthen resilience and thus guard against the occurrence of a particular problem. Source
Proxy measures
Data that can be used as an indicator - an indirect measure of substance use or abuse. In general, ,multiple indirect measures (proxies) are more reliable than a single proxy. Source
Public Health Model
A model that represents the interactions among the agent, host and environment. In substance abuse prevention, the agent is alcohol or drugs or the sources, supplies, and availability of alcohol and drugs. Hosts can be seen as the potential and/or active substance users. The environment is the social climate that encourages and supports the potential and/or actual use of substances. The public health model posits that all of these factors must be addressed together for prevention to be effective. Source
