Table 3 Process evaluation objectives, data collection methods and indicators
Objectives and data sources | Description of process indicators | Characteristic of process indicator |
|---|---|---|
Assess whether the intervention activities are implemented as planned | ||
Activity logs | Number of taught modules and sessions held with nutrition counsellors | Fidelity |
Number of education and counselling sessions and taught lessons held with mothers | ||
Number of reading resources distributed to targeted groups | ||
Number of home visits conducted by nutrition counsellors | ||
Number of sensitisation meetings held with family members | ||
Number of sensitisation meetings held with health facility staff | ||
Supervisory reports | Review of counsellors’ workbooks for completeness, validity of documented information, referrals, appointments kept or missed | Fidelity and dose delivered |
Registration forms | Number of community-based nutrition counsellors trained | Fidelity |
Number of health facility staff sensitised | ||
Pre- and post-test scores | Performance of nutrition counsellors in knowledge and skills gained during training | Fidelity and dose delivered |
Evaluation forms | Quality of training sessions (adequacy of delivery methods, time allocated to sessions, usefulness of materials and field practice, attitude to training) | |
Structured observations | Nutrition counsellor’s skills during home visits on interpersonal skills, use of reading resources, problem-solving, confidence in counselling mothers | |
Evaluate the extent to which the intervention reaches the intended mothers and families | ||
Activity logs | Number of recruited infants in intervention and control villages. Number dropped out. Reasons for dropping out | Reach (participation rate) |
Attendance records | Number of mothers attending each education and counselling session (plus cooking demonstration) | |
Number of family members represented in sensitisation meetings | ||
Number of mothers visited/attended during home visits | ||
Determine the degree to which targeted mothers are exposed to intervention components and extent to which they use intervention resources | ||
Attendance records | Number of mothers attending each education session | Dose received (exposure) |
Number of mothers with information booklets | ||
Structured observations | Observation of mothers’ attentiveness, interest/keen (e.g. asked/answered questions, give examples) during education and counselling sessions | |
Observation of mothers’ feeding style (e.g. responsive feeding) during cooking demonstration sessions | ||
Amount of meal consumed by infants at cooking demonstration sessions | ||
Semi-structured interviews | Number of mothers who could recall (spontaneously and/or prompted) key behaviours learned in education sessions and home visits | |
Number of mothers who could recall (spontaneously and/or prompted) messages contained in information booklet | ||
Semi-structured interviews | Mothers’ perception on usefulness and preference (by ranking) of intervention aspects (education sessions, sensitisation meetings, home visits, booklet). | Dose received (satisfaction) |
Mothers’ level of satisfaction with counsellors’ services | ||
Investigate setting into which intervention is being implemented that may influence intervention effectiveness | ||
Semi-structured interviews | Interviews with nutrition counsellors about any ongoing interventions (e.g. competing programmes), perception regarding intervention delivery, strengths, challenges, and suggestions for improvement | Context, facilitators, barriers, contamination |
Interviews with village and sub-village leaders about village profile during baseline | ||
Structured interviews | Interviews with residence in-charge of health centre on presence (and number) or absence of health staff who attended sensitisation meetings | |
Structured observations | Observation of health facility staff conducting health education sessions at the facility in intervention and control villages | |