Handbook on Access to HIV/AIDS-Related Treatment : a Collection of Information, Tools and Resources for NGOs, CBOs and PLWHA Groups: Chapter 5: Learning from and improving HIV/AIDS-related treatment work: 5.1 Monitoring and evaluating HIV/AIDS-related treatment work: 5.1.C Evaluating your work

Handbook on Access to HIV/AIDS-Related Treatment : a Collection of Information, Tools and Resources for NGOs, CBOs and PLWHA Groups
(2003; 130 pages) [French]

Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgements
Acronyms
Introduction: Read this first!
	1. What is this handbook?
	2. Why was this handbook developed?
	3. How was this handbook developed?
	4. Who is this handbook for?
	5. How can this handbook be used?
	6. What is in the chapters of this handbook?
	7. What materials are needed to use this handbook?
	8. Who developed this handbook?
	9. Further sources of information
	Example of workshop schedule
Chapter 1: First questions to ask
	1.1 Care, support and treatment
		1.1.A Care and support
		1.1.B Treatment
	1.2 Linking treatment and prevention
	1.3 Access to treatment
		1.3.A Availability of treatment
		1.3.B Accessibility of treatment
	Information Sheet 1: Barriers to access to treatment
	Information Sheet 2: Factors affecting access to treatment
	1.4 Further sources of information
Chapter 2: Foundations of treatment
	2.1 The basic elements of treatment work
		2.1.A Supportive relationships for treatment work
		2.1.B Knowledge, skills and attitudes for treatment work
		2.1.C An ethical approach to treatment work
		2.1.D Information for treatment work
	2.2 How different treatments vary
	2.3 Working with others to improve access to treatment
		2.3.A Partnerships to improve access to treatment
		2.3.B Advocacy to improve access to treatment
	Treatment Information Sheet
	Treatment Assessment Sheet
	2.4 Further sources of information
Chapter 3: Putting treatment into practice
	3.1 Resources for HIV/AIDS-related treatment work
	3.2 Drugs for HIV/AIDS-related treatment
		3.2.A Managing HIV/AIDS-related drugs
		3.2.B The essential medicines concept
		3.2.C Guidelines for treatment
		3.2.D Choosing the right drugs
		3.2.E Drug names
		3.2.F Using drugs effectively
		3.2.G Fact sheet - antiretrovirals
	3.3 Sourcing and looking after good-quality drugs
		3.3.A Drug quality
		3.3.B Sources of drugs
		3.3.C Storing drugs
		3.3.D Keeping records and ordering drugs
	3.4 Providing drugs to people living with HIV/AIDS
		3.4.A Paying for HIV/AIDS-related treatment
		3.4.B Drug information
		3.4.C Dispensing drugs
		3.4.D Managing transport for HIV/AIDS-related treatment
	3.5 Training and management for treatment work
	3.6 Further sources of information
Chapter 4: Assessing needs and resources, and deciding what to do
	4.1 The assessment process
	4.2 Assessment frameworks
		4.2.A Assessing needs and resources - people living with HIV/AIDS and the community
		4.2.B Assessing needs and resources - the local environment
		4.2.C Assessing needs and resources - your NGO/CBO/PLWHA group
	4.3 Deciding what to do
		4.3.A Analysing your findings
		4.3.B Reaching a decision
		4.3.C Communicating your decision
	Information Sheet 3: Thinking creatively about what your group can do - treatment in context
	4.4 Further sources of information
Chapter 5: Learning from and improving HIV/AIDS-related treatment work
	5.1 Monitoring and evaluating HIV/AIDS-related treatment work
		5.1.A Keeping records of your work
		5.1.B Monitoring your work
		5.1.C Evaluating your work
	5.2 Changing and improving HIV/AIDS-related treatment work
		5.2.A Making the most of new resources and linkages
		5.2.B Coping with changes
		5.2.C Sharing your experiences with others
		5.2.D Scaling up, scaling down or staying the same
	5.3 Further sources of information
	Organizations that contributed to the development of this handbook
Back cover

5.1.C Evaluating your work

While monitoring is ongoing, evaluation needs to take place only from time to time during HIV/AIDS-related treatment work. Evaluating work involves looking at the results of monitoring, asking probing questions about the information that has been gathered, and assessing how treatment work has gone. It can help to answer the following questions:

• What has been achieved?
• What difference has the work made to the treatment of people living with HIV/AIDS?
• How do the achievements match the organization's goals?
• What has been the cost - in human and financial terms - for the organization, people living with HIV/AIDS and the community?

Some of the key reasons to evaluate the work are:

• to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the work;
• to help with future choices and decisions;
• to learn lessons that can be shared within the organization and with others; and
• to increase accountability to those who have an interest in the work.

The reasons for evaluating the work will depend on who has encouraged the evaluation. For example, a donor may have asked for it in order to decide whether to carry on funding, or people living with HIV/AIDS and the community may have asked for it to see if the project is meeting their needs. Each group will have different interests and requirements. It is important to be clear about the expectations of those requesting an evaluation before starting it.

The process of evaluation can involve many different people, including:

• staff and volunteers of the organization;
• people living with HIV/AIDS and other community members;
• other NGOs, CBOs and PLWHA groups; and
• donors and decision-makers.

Participatory methodologies, such as mapping and priority-ranking, are useful tools for evaluation because they help people to communicate more freely. Many of the tools included in Chapter 4 on page 95 of this handbook can be adapted for evaluation, alongside other methods such as reviewing records and holding focus group discussions.

It is also important to relate the evaluation of the treatment work to the assessment of the needs and resources of the group (see Chapter 4.2.C on page 104).

Evaluating people's experiences, the organization's activities and project management

Ways to evaluate people's experiences include:

• analysing facts and figures from monitoring activities;
• asking questions, holding interviews and having group discussions;
• using written questionnaires;
• analysing reports, case studies and people's stories about themselves; and
• observing activities and meetings.

Ways to evaluate an organization's activities include:

• reviewing written information, such as reports, accounts and records;
• analysing the areas covered, numbers of people served and treatments prescribed;
• using verbal or written questions in questionnaires, interviews and surveys; and
• observing activities and procedures.

Ways to evaluate the management of a project include:

• reviewing records, reports, budgets, minutes of meetings and previous evaluations;
• directing verbal or written questions to individuals;
• interviewing individuals or teams;
• observing the work and practices; and
• holding discussions with staff and other interested parties.

An evaluation of an HIV/AIDS-related treatment project should cover areas such as:

• the people involved in the project;
• treatment activities;
• management activities; and
• links with others.

Many evaluations focus on particular aspects of a project, but the following questions are common to most.

• Effectiveness. To what extent is your work in HIV/AIDS-related treatment achieving its objectives?
• Efficiency. What has been the cost of achieving your objectives, in terms of the people involved and the funding?

• Relevance. Is the work appropriate to the needs of the people you are trying to serve? Are there other problems that should take priority?

• Sustainability. How long can the work continue and how can the necessary money, people and other resources be found?

• Progress. Is the work achieving its original objectives, or have those objectives changed?

• Impact. What are the effects of the work on people living with HIV/AIDS, the community, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and your organization? Has your work been helpful or made little difference? What effects has it had on economic, social and cultural factors? Has the impact remained local or spread wider? How does this affect your plans for the future?