Methods of Evaluation of Services and Health Programs

Abstract

SUMMARY The inclusion of processes of evaluation in health work can mean changes in a person’s state of health and also towards the consolidation of the model of assistance provided by the SUS (Unified Health System). In the public sector a great interest exists in the evaluation of these programs. Recently, by means of the execution of the basic attendance indicators agreement, it has become possible to monitor the population and identify the main health situations that require interventions. A documental survey was developed with the purpose of associating evaluation concepts to the main epidemiological outlines used in evaluation processes. The analysis identified the growth of instrumental use with the evaluation, since it is able to directly reach those who invest in the interventions in health. The greatest assumption to be considered is that the purpose of an evaluation is to influence a decision. It also identified a typology that was distributed through experimental, quasi-experimental and non-experimental designs. This gave a greater indication of the advantages in using the epidemiological method to evaluate the quality of attributes used in health actions, such things as: effectiveness, efficiency, efficacy and many others. In addition to allowing the construction of indicators used for evaluation measures. There is convergence among the authors in clarifying that the choice of the type of study depends on the interests of the evaluation to be performed and therefore, there is no single design, better than the others in any circumstances. DESCRIPTORS Evaluation in health; methods. Health services; Methodology.