The implementation of regular and relevant evaluations of surveillance systems is critical in improving their effectiveness and their relevance whilst limiting their cost. The complex nature of these systems and the variable contexts in which they are implemented call for the development of flexible evaluation tools. Within this scope, participatory tools have been developed and implemented for...

This article offers a framework for evaluating geographic information technology applied in the context of participatory problem solving and decision-making. The framework consists of constructs and detailed aspects describing significant issues of participatory decision-making. Constructs reflect the structure, while aspects address the content of participatory decisionmaking. Aspects are tied...

Empowerment evaluation entered the evaluation lexicon in 1993. Since that time, it has attracted many adherents, as well as vocal detractors. A prominent issue in the debates on empowerment evaluation concerns the extent to which empowerment evaluation can be readily distinguished from other approaches to evaluation that share with it an emphasis on participatory and collaborative processes, ca...

____________________________________________________________________ ii Chapter 1_____________________________________________________________________1 1. Towards Improving Representative Democracy in Canada _____________________________ 1 1.1. Defining Democracy: A “Dynamic Balance” ______________________________________________1 1.2. The Contemporary Model: Representative Democracy __________...

Advertising used to be heavily controlled by marketers. The role of a consumer in advertising realm is merely a passive viewer. Thanks to the developments of media technology, consumers start to obtain powers in controlling ad viewing and shaping ad appearance through diverse advertising forms. Such powers obtained by consumers represent the coming of a new era of advertising, in which consumer...

Actively engaging communities in effective partnerships for the design and implementation of HIV prevention research is vital to the successful conduct of ethically robust, locally-appropriate clinical trials in developing countries. This is especially true in vulnerable at-risk sub-populations, where definitions of "community", "participation" and "representation" can be difficult to apply. Th...

This paper studies the optimal income redistribution and optimal monitoring when disability benefits are intended for disabled people but some of the disabled do not claim disability benefits and enter the labor force. Classification errors also occur. Some able applicants with high distaste for work are falsely granted disability benefits (type II errors) and some disabled applicants are denie...

1. Introduction In this position paper we explore some of the issues surrounding the evaluation of public situated displays. We discuss how and more importantly what we hope to achieve through our evaluation of such systems. Sometimes we may wish to evaluate against some kind of performance metric, however, often the evaluation goal is less tractable, e.g. how a public display system may suppor...

OBJECTIVE Just as HIV prevention programs need to be tailored to the local epidemic, so should evaluations be country-owned and country-led to ensure use of those results in decision making and policy. The objective of this paper is to describe the process undertaken in Ghana to develop a national evaluation plan for the Ghana national strategy for key populations. METHODS This was a particip...

BACKGROUND Epidemiological studies have shown that patient transfer is a risk factor for back pain, back injuries and long term sickness absence, whereas consistent use of assistive devices during patient transfer seems to be protective. While classical ergonomic interventions based on education and training in lifting and transferring techniques have not proven to be effective in preventing ba...