A framework for evaluating community-based heart disease prevention programs.

This paper reviews issues that arise in the evaluation of community-based heart disease prevention programs and offers suggestions for improving future evaluations of these programs. A framework encompassing the evaluation of process, impact and social relevance guides this discussion. The goal of the framework is to divide the question, "do community-based health programs work?", into more easily answered evaluation questions. In doing so, interventions that promote the health of community residents are likely to be designed and implemented successfully.