Partnerships for Environmental Public Health Evaluation Metrics

National Institute Of Environmental Health Sciences

Investigators

Abstract

The NIEHS supports both intramural and extramural research programs to study the relationship between the environment and human disease. The NIEHS Program Analysis Branch conducts portfolio analysis and impact analysis of the organization's extramural funding, and develops methodologies to conduct impact analyses, in order to maximize the benefits of the funding and to aid in setting priorities and planning. In 2007, NIEHS created the Partnerships for Environmental Public Health (PEPH) program, a new umbrella program for extramural grants. The PEPH program funds collaborative partnerships among community groups, academic researchers, and health care professionals to reduce environmental exposures leading to adverse health outcomes. The PEPH program includes grants issued in the areas of environmental justice (EJ) and community-based participatory research (CBPR). The objective of this work is to develop principles and metrics for evaluation of PEPH-funded projects. A general logic model exists for evaluating studies on environmental health, but to date no framework or evaluation scheme specific to PEPH has been developed.