9. Effective Partnership Working: The Importance of Outcomes Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted – Albert Einstein 9.1 Evaluation of interventions hierarchy The following material has been drawn from one of the few papers that specifically focuses on the evaluation of the effectiveness of social marketing interventions. Figure 15 shows a hierarchy of effects, progressing from awareness through to, ultimately, an improvement in overall societal or environmental wellbeing. Given the lengthy time period between adoption of behaviours and potential impact on health issues, such as in the case of obesity-related illnesses, skin cancer etc, wellbeing may be something to aspire to, but more pragmatic interim measures may be needed. Focus, particularly at the local community level, is likely to be on the three lower levels in the initial stages of an intervention. Changes in social norms may occur over time, as they appear to be doing in relation to tobacco products, but it will be many years before any impact in other areas such as skin cancer rates can be determined. Figure 15: Levels of Social Marketing Effectiveness Figures 16 and 17 provide guides to the types of changes that should be sought at each of the preceding levels and provides a selection of techniques by which these changes can be – measured. Figure 16: Changes Sought at Each of Effectiveness Level Key changes sought Result level
9. Effective Partnership Working: The Importance of Outcomes Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted – Albert Einstein 9.1 Evaluation of interventions hierarchy The following material has been drawn from one of the few papers that specifically focuses on the evaluation of the effectiveness of social marketing interventions. Figure 15 shows a hierarchy of effects, progressing from awareness through to, ultimately, an improvement in overall societal or environmental wellbeing. Given the lengthy time period between adoption of behaviours and potential impact on health issues, such as in the case of obesity-related illnesses, skin cancer etc, wellbeing may be something to aspire to, but more pragmatic interim measures may be needed. Focus, particularly at the local community level, is likely to be on the three lower levels in the initial stages of an intervention. Changes in social norms may occur over time, as they appear to be doing in relation to tobacco products, but it will be many years before any impact in other areas such as skin cancer rates can be determined. Figure 15: Levels of Social Marketing Effectiveness Figures 16 and 17 provide guides to the types of changes that should be sought at each of the preceding levels – and provides a selection of techniques by which these changes can be measured. Figure 16: Changes Sought at Each of Effectiveness Level Key changes sought Result level