What is the purpose of impact assessment in program evaluation?

What is the purpose of impact assessment in program evaluation?

• A. To determine whether the program had an impact on its intended targets
• B. To measure budget efficiency
• C. To assess staff knowledge levels
• D. To determine patient demographics

Answer: (A)

Impact assessment focuses on measuring the actual changes the program produces in the people or settings it’s meant to affect. It asks: did the program create the intended effects, and how large or meaningful were those effects on the target audience? This goes beyond whether activities were carried out or how funds were used, and it looks at outcomes and real impact over time. That’s why this option is best: it directly answers whether the program had the intended effect on its targets. Other choices describe aspects like cost or efficiency, or describe things about participants or staff that don’t by themselves show whether the program caused change.

Impact assessment focuses on measuring the actual changes the program produces in the people or settings it’s meant to affect. It asks: did the program create the intended effects, and how large or meaningful were those effects on the target audience? This goes beyond whether activities were carried out or how funds were used, and it looks at outcomes and real impact over time.

That’s why this option is best: it directly answers whether the program had the intended effect on its targets. Other choices describe aspects like cost or efficiency, or describe things about participants or staff that don’t by themselves show whether the program caused change.