Navigating complexity in real-world intervention evaluation: Insights from three case studies

Abstract

Evaluation takes place in Intervention Mapping Step 6. Various evaluation questions, outcomes, measures and designs can be used to guide the evaluation process. Although the use of gold standards, such as a randomized controlled trail is recommended, these may not align with interventions in real-life settings. This paper describes the complexity of evaluating public health interventions in real-world contexts. Three case studies highlight the challenges of evaluation when: (i) interventions need to be developed and implemented quickly; (ii) changes to the intervention content or its implementation are desirable; and (iii) interventions are already publicly available and accessible. Our aim was to advance the field by sharing experiences and critically reflecting on how to embrace complexity.