LPHI’s Division of Evaluation and Research provides high-quality information for evidence-based decision making among a wide variety of stakeholders ranging from front-line staff to program managers to health policy makers.

The Evaluation and Research Division staff has substantial knowledge and experience in evidence-based practices in public health and health services evaluation and research. Areas of expertise include quantitative and qualitative study designs, data collection services - including surveys, focus groups, and in-depth interviews - as well as analytics and data visualization to ensure that information is easily understood. The Division also seeks to build the capacity of community organizations to implement and evaluate programs. Clients include government agencies at federal, state and local levels, community-based organizations, foundations and businesses.

Examples of recent work include:

• Air monitoring in support of the Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living: To assess the impact of tobacco smoke on air quality in bars and gaming facilities particulate matter was measured in four cities across Louisiana. Recently one of those cities, Alexandria, passed a Smoke-Free Air ordinance. After the ordinance was implemented, a second round of air testing found that the air quality improved from “Hazardous” to being almost as clean as outdoor air.
• Data Democratization for New Orleans Residents: To make information more accessible to more people, the Division obtained and analyzed data by neighborhood for the Healthy NOLA website, which provides a broad range of community data and implementation guidance, tools, technical assistance and other resources to New Orleans neighborhoods recovering from Hurricane Katrina and decades of community disparities.
• SafetyNet Clinic Access and Quality Evaluation: To assess program needs and measure program successes of the Primary Care Access and Stabilization Grant, quantitative and qualitative data was collected and analyzed, including patient surveys and a “mystery shopper” study. There is increasing demand for primary and behavioral health care services in the Greater New Orleans area, and LPHI wants to ensure that every citizen has access to high quality and affordable healthcare close to where they live.
• Adolescent Risk Behavior – Data Collection, Analysis and Data Visualization: Through a collaboration with the Department of Health and Hospitals and the Department of Education, Evaluation and Research collected data for the 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) and created fact sheets on ten topics from the 2008-2009 YRBS.