![]() |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() ![]() |
![]() |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
![]() |
![]() |
AcknowledgementsThis evaluation could not have been possible without the help of many individuals, whose support and contributions should be acknowledged. First, thanks to the many individuals who shared their experiences and perspectives through written surveys or interviews, including those who are infected with or affected by hepatitis C; staff, volunteers, coordinators/directors and board members at the case study sites; health experts; hepatitis C researchers; other stakeholders, including members of non-governmental organizations; Health Canada staff from other departments; representatives from provincial/territorial ministries of health; representatives from pharmaceutical companies; regional Program staff; and Program Advisory Group members. Our appreciation is extended to Barrington Research Group and its team for the effort and time put into the research design, data collection and results analysis for the evaluation of years one, two and three of the Health Canada Hepatitis C Prevention, Support and Research Program. This mid-term review would not have been possible without their assistance. Sincere thanks are also extended to Leslie Forrester and Gregory Zaniewski for providing epidemiologic and surveillance data analysis and Terri Buller-Taylor for producing the literature review. Thanks to Jane Wilson for her assistance in preparing the present report. Finally, we would like to acknowledge the contribution of the Evaluation Advisory Committee:
The Project Team
with the assistance of Chronology
* Please note that since the completion of the report, the name of the Division has been changed to Community Acquired Infections Division, Hepatitis C Section. The former name has been kept throughout the report to reflect the context for the period covered by the report. Executive SummaryHepatitis C in Canada The World Health Organization estimates that as much as 3% of the world population, or 170 million people, are infected with the hepatitis C virus. In Canada, the estimates are that more than 240,000 people, or 0.8% of the Canadian population, have been infected. Many infected people have no symptoms and are unaware of their condition; they are at risk of chronic liver disease and even liver cancer. Serious effects of this disease may not appear for decades after the initial infection. Injection drug use has been documented as the primary risk factor in Canada. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C; however it can be treated and, today, treatment can result in sustained viral suppression for approximately 40% to 80% of cases, depending upon viral strain. The Hepatitis C Prevention, Support and Research Program The Hepatitis C Prevention, Support and Research Program was created following release of the report of the Krever Commission, which explored the safety of Canada’s blood supply. In 1998, the Government of Canada announced a comprehensive package of initiatives which included $50 million over five years to develop new disease prevention and community-based support programs and support research on hepatitis C. The Program has five components: Management, Policy, Evaluation and Public Involvement; Research; Care and Treatment Support; Prevention; and Community-based Support. The Program aims to reach both primary and secondary clients: primary clients are those infected with, affected by or at risk of contracting hepatitis C; secondary clients are those individuals or organizations providing services to primary clients. The Program Evaluation An evaluation of the Program was completed in 2002 as part of a commitment to the principles of evidence-based program investment and the need to maintain accountability to the public. Planning for the evaluation began in June 2001 with development of the terms of reference; following that, the Program contracted with a consulting firm specializing in evaluation. Methodology The evaluation process involved a set of questions and indicators as developed in a customized Data Collection Matrix. These indicators were developed in the evaluation framework for the Program and were further refined for the actual evaluation. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected from a wide variety of sources, including surveys, interviews, and reviews of documents and relevant literature. The design of the evaluation was based on the use of a logic model, which represents the means by which the Program is expected to achieve outcomes. The model identifies the main components of the Program and depicts links between the main activities, outputs, and immediate, intermediate and long-term outcomes. To assess program performance the evaluation focused on four key areas: Scope of the Problem, Program Implementation, Achievement of Program Outcomes, and Program Lessons Learned. The strengths of the process include the use of multiple sources to obtain data on the Program and the high response rates to all surveys and interviews. The chief limitation of the evaluation is that, at mid-point, the best that can be accomplished in a single examination is a general understanding of the Program outcomes and outcome achievement; it is not appropriate to expect a definitive statement about the success of the Program. Findings
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Last Updated: 2003-08-11 | ![]() |