Using and Sharing Results

Sharing evaluation results, including outcomes and best practices, is a strategy for communicating the value of the rural health promotion or disease prevention program, marketing the program to other groups and individuals, securing more funding, and influencing policy decisions.

Rural communities can consider the following when developing a plan for sharing evaluation results and best practices:

• Coordinate with community partners: Ensure evaluation findings meet the needs of community partners by involving them in the review and discussion of results.
• Create a communications plan: Identify techniques for conveying results such as short videos, newsletters, audio segments, websites, or presentations to community partners or other groups. Written formats may include issue briefs, policy briefs, and case studies.
• Consider the audience: Ensure the evaluation results are clear, concise, and appropriately formatted for different audiences.
• Describe important features of the program and evaluation: Share contextual information for the evaluation, including background and purpose, methods, findings, conclusions, recommendations, and lessons learned. Document evidence of the program's effectiveness and cost of implementation.
• Present meaningful information effectively: Use graphics, charts, and tables to present data. Include examples and meaningful anecdotal narratives. Avoid technical jargon and acronyms in writing. Develop materials in a user-friendly, non-academic format.
• Be upfront about strengths and limitations: List the strengths and limitations of the evaluation. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the results and recommendations.

For more on how to share program results, see Disseminating Best Practices in the Rural Community Health Toolkit.

Resources to Learn More

Dissemination of Rural Health Research: A Toolkit
Document
Provides a general overview of dissemination best practices, sample dissemination products, and offers recommendations on various modes of dissemination.
Author(s): Schroeder, S., & Bauman, S.
Organization(s): Rural Health Research Gateway, University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences
Date: 8/2019

Dissemination: Promoting the Use of Best Practices
Document
A guide to disseminating evidence-based strategies for health promotion.
Organization(s): University of Washington's Health Promotion Research Center (HPRC)
Date: 10/2018

Reporting Your Evaluation Results
Document
Offers general guidelines and tips for describing evaluation results to different stakeholders.
Organization(s): Prevention Solutions@EDC
Date: 9/2018