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Health Research & Evaluation

You may need guidance to boost your project or take it in a new direction. You may wonder if you are getting the most for the dollars spent, or if your program is making a real impact.

We specialize in these data collection activities:

  • Focus groups
  • In-depth interviews
  • Media monitoring
  • Observation
  • Surveys

ORAU evaluation specialists can help move projects forward in an efficient, data-driven manner that matches the specific need and audience. They have experience in setting up projects with clear and measurable goals and objectives, identifying the best approaches to gather data for your evaluation, and utilizing cost-effective data collection methods to measure short-term, intermediate and long-term outcomes. ORAU evaluation specialists use this data to demonstrate research findings, lessons learned and best practices for clients.

Our team can tailor a plan that is right for your evaluation needs. Surveys, interviews, message testing and other data collection efforts are designed thoughtfully and conducted skillfully to obtain credible results. Our experienced team will collaborate with you to develop the evidence-based insights you need.

Small group discussing health communication materials

What we do

A research and evaluation project will follow a sequence of action steps:

  • Develop a program logic model and an evaluation plan
  • Design and conduct data collection activities
  • Conduct data analysis (qualitative and quantitative)
  • Prepare a final report with recommendations for program improvements

What we offer

  • Highly educated and experience staff with expertise in a broad range of subject areas
  • Flexible evaluation plans based on timeline, budget and needs
  • Expertise in navigating time-consuming federal research regulations, including a track record of success in obtaining Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approvals
adult female using virtual reality equipment

Improving adult vaccine communication, education with virtual reality

ORAU and the University of Georgia (UGA) partnered in 2017 to study the use of virtual reality and eye-tracking technologies to improve adult vaccine communication and education. ORAU and UGA also used eye-tracking technology to measure participants’ visual attention to vaccination education materials. With eye-tracking technology, researchers can evaluate the type of content a person chooses to look at and which content the subject views the longest. 

Read More

Our Experts

Karen Carera

Karen Werner Carera, Ph.D.

Expertise: Health education, formative and summative evaluation, research methods, structuring qualitative research, needs assessments

Carera has developed research protocols and instruments for a wide range of populations, from healthcare professionals and public health officials to diverse subsets of the general public. The topics of these research projects vary from emergency preparedness for radiation emergencies to appropriate use of antibiotics.

Certifications: Human Subjects Protection Training, Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative

Kelli Bursey

Kelli Bursey, M.P.H., CHES

Expertise: Health education promotion, formative and summative evaluation, facilitating and moderating focus groups, in-depth interviews, message testing

Bursey has extensive qualitative analytical and research skills using software such as NVivo and Atlas.ti, as well as quantitative analytical experience using SPSS. She has thorough knowledge of Office of Management and Budget and Institutional Review Board policies.

Certifications: Certified Health Education Specialist; Certificate of Proficiency in Qualitative Research, Burke Institute; ThinkTank Session Leader Training Course Certification

Deborah McFalls

Deborah McFalls

Expertise: More than 26 years of experience in managing health and safety communications and program evaluation initiatives with DOE, CDC and other partners. The multitask initiatives have focused on health communication research, design, development, implementation and outreach activities for the public and private workforce sectors and the general public.

  • Come talk to us in Atlanta

    Find us at the ORAU booth at the National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing, and Media to be held September 11-13, 2018, in Atlanta.

    This annual conference brings together individuals representing academia, public health researchers and practitioners from federal and state government and the private sector, and provides a forum for collegial dialogue within and across these disciplines.

  • Come talk to us about public health and healthcare preparedness capabilities

    Come talk to us about public health and healthcare preparednes at the ORAU booth at the 2019 NACCHO Preparedness Summit March 26-29, 2019 in St. Louis.

    The Preparedness Summit is the first and longest running national conference on public health preparedness. The Summit convenes a wide array of partners; presenting new research findings, sharing tools and resources and providing a variety of opportunities for attendees to learn how to implement model practices that enhance the nation’s capabilities to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters and other emergencies.

Contact us

For information about ORAU’s health communication, preparedness and response needs, contact Marcus Weseman, M.P.A., vice president and senior associate director, Health Communication programs, at 865.576.3420 or marcus.weseman@orau.org.