Integration of equity in evidence-based public health is a great challenge nowadays. In this review we draw attention to the importance of considering equity in air pollution interventions. We also propose further methodological and theoretical challenges when assessing equity in interventions to reduce air pollution and we present opportunities to develop this research area.

Developmental evaluation (DE), essentially conceptualized by Patton over the past 30 years, is a promising evaluative approach intended to support social innovation and the deployment of complex interventions. Its use is often justified by the complex nature of the interventions being evaluated and the need to produce useful results in real time. Despite its potential advantages, DE appears not to have been very widely used in research. The authors of this article decided to use this emergent approach in two evaluative research projects in health promotion. This article, coming out of their experiences, aims to assess the appropriateness of DE in research and describes issues related to its use. First, DE is presented, along with the potential advantages of its use in research. This is followed by a discussion of tensions related its application encountered in two studies carried out by the authors. The key issues are related to the links between academic and evaluative objectives, the dual role of researcher and consultant, and the temporality of the process. Finally, weighing the advantages of DE against its challenges, the authors conclude with a diagnosis regarding the application of this approach in research.

Evaluating complex interventions requires an understanding of the program’s logic of action. Logic analysis, a specific type of program theory evaluation based on scientific knowledge, can help identify either the critical conditions for achieving desired outcomes or alternative interventions for that purpose. In this article, we outline the principles of logic analysis and its roots. We then illustrate its use with an actual evaluation case. Finally, we discuss the advantages of conducting logic analysis prior to other types of evaluations. This article will provide evaluators with both theoretical and practical information to help them in conceptualizing their evaluations.

IntroductionThe COVID-19 crisis has led to the adoption of strict and coercive preventive measures. The implementation of these measures has generated negative impacts for many communities. The situation is especially worrisome for Indigenous communities in Peru. Therefore, it is necessary to recognise the contribution of the experiential knowledge of Indigenous communities and to implement innovative approaches. The use of art can be a promising avenue for working in partnership with Indigenous communities.The goal of this research is to (1) develop an intervention promoting barrier measures and vaccination to limit the transmission of COVID-19 among Indigenous communities using an arts-based and community-based knowledge translation and exchange (ACKTE) model; and (2) understand the contextual elements and mechanisms associated with the process of developing a preventive intervention using the ACKTE model.Methodology and analysisThis research will take place in Indigenous communities in Peru and will be based on a developmental evaluation guided by the principles of realist evaluation. Members of two Indigenous communities, local authorities, health professionals and artists will participate in the intervention development process as well as in the developmental evaluation. For data collection, we will conduct modified talking circles and semistructured individual interviews with stakeholders as well as an analysis of documents and artistic works produced.Ethics and dissemination of resultsThis research received the approval of the Université du Québec à Rimouski’s research ethics board. In addition to scientific articles, the results of this research will be disseminated through videos and during an artistic performance.

Developmental evaluation (DE), an approach developed by Patton to support the implementation of innovations, remains relatively untested in research. This article describes an attempt to apply DE as part of an implementation study of a health-promoting hospital project in a university hospital. The article highlights the dichotomous demands of academic research and evaluation use inherent in applying DE from a research perspective, and analyzes the challenges encountered in this case. The conclusion is that DE can be used in research, provided that preliminary context analysis is done to anticipate the challenges related to integrating the demands of research and evaluation use.

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Les innovations sociales suscitent un engouement auprès d’organisations, de communautés et de professionnels québécois et canadiens oeuvrant collectivement pour répondre aux enjeux sociaux complexes dans des contextes dynamiques. Évaluer ces innovations en s’appuyant sur des approches formatives et sommatives a révélé certaines limites. L’évaluation évolutive (ÉÉ) se positionne donc comme solution possible. Cet article met en relation les écrits scientifiques avec l’expérience de praticiens expérimentés au Québec. L’équilibre entre gestion de projet et évaluation, production de connaissances et transformation de pratiques, itération continue et établissement d’un échéancier est au coeur d’une démarche effi cace d’ÉÉ.

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