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A Participatory Model for Evaluating a Multilevel Farmers’ Market Intervention
- Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action
- Johns Hopkins University Press
- Volume 9, Issue 4, Winter 2015
- pp. 537-548
- 10.1353/cpr.2015.0074
- Article
- Additional Information
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Background: Well-designed evaluation is necessary to document the impact of farmers’ markets (FMs) on health, economic, and community outcomes. However, the complex nature of FMs poses challenges for evaluation.
Objective: Our goal is to describe a participatory, multilevel framework used to evaluate a FM implemented at a federally qualified health center (FQHC) in a rural community in the Southeastern United States.
Methods: An iterative, collaborative process involving three feedback loops was used to engage community stakeholders in the development, implementation, and utilization of the multilevel evaluation plan.
Lessons Learned: A participatory approach helped to navigate the complexities of evaluating FMs and promoted stakeholder engagement. The evaluation became a core element of the intervention that informed continuous quality improvement (CQI). The development of strong university– community partnerships facilitated the ongoing use of results.
Conclusions: The evaluation framework presented may be used to promote community engagement and rigor for evaluation of future FMs.