Under Pressure to Evaluate your HHW Program? Evaluation Concepts in a Tire Waste Program Jennifer J. Tabanico California State University

Program Evaluation The process of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting information about our intervention efforts that are aimed at some stated goal Need Implementation Effectiveness Efficiency

Why We Don’t Evaluate Not required Complicated statistics Lack of knowledge about research methods Extra Cost “We’re doing something”

Why Evaluate? Required by funding agencies Justify program existence Preparing for budget cuts Can make changes Unintended consequences Cost efficiency Inform future efforts

Types of Evaluations Summative Evaluation Program goals Did it work? Formative Evaluation Program process Why worked/didn’t work

Setting Measurable Goals Identify specific goals What do you want to achieve? Specific behavior change Public satisfaction Waste reduction Identify your measures How will you know if you reached your goals? Surveys Observations Waste

Stages of Evaluation Needs assessment What is happening, and what should be happening? Program planning Theory based development of intervention Implementation and Process Is program being implemented correctly? Outcome analysis Is program causing the desired change? Is program worth the cost?

The Tire Waste Problem 31 million waste tires per year generated by California motorists (CIWMB, 2003) Proper maintenance increases life of tire and reduces waste Pressure, Alignment/Balancing, Rotation, Tread

Overview of Intervention Goal Increase frequency and accuracy of tire pressure checking behavior by motorists Program Motorists at 10 gas stations 5 experimental, 5 control Motivational messages + free pressure gauge at each pump at 5 stations Outcomes Survey of 381 motorists (self report & tire inspection) Air pressure machine usage

Needs Assessment Baseline Survey Data “Checking pressure” is the most under performed maintenance behavior Only 27 % checked pressure monthly as recommended 59% of vehicles on the roadways had at least one tire over/under inflated by 5+ psi Motorists know they should check Don’t know correct PSI and ~50% don’t have gauge

Program Planning Applying Theoretical Principles Give Aways Norm of reciprocation Social Norms Beliefs about what other people think/do Motivation Survey data revealed saving money, extending tire life, and safety as motivations to act

Implementation and Process Evaluation of Implementation 7,565 tire gauges distributed at the pump at 5 gas stations Dispensers refilled steadily for 4 weeks Penetration Rates Self report of gauge ownership at experimental vs. control stations

Do you own a tire pressure gauge?

Outcome Analysis Did it work? Experimental vs. Matched Controls Follow up survey of motorists Self reported behavior Tire inspections Air pressure machine usage Unobtrusive electronic device

Self-Reported Behavior

Tire Inspections

Air Pump Usage

Conclusions Evaluation provides information about need, implementation, effectiveness, and efficiency of program Is it working? What is/isn’t working? Can apply these principles to own program Workshops, staff training on evaluation principles a good investment

References California Integrated Waste Management Board. (2003a). Waste tire management program:2001 staff report. May 2003, Publication # California Integrated Waste Management Board (2003b). Consumers’ tire buying habits and their knowledge of tire maintenance, recycling, and disposal. November 2003,Publication # Cialdini, R. B. (2000). Influence: Science and practice (4 th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon. National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. (2002). Tire pressure survey and test results. Rubber Manufacturers Association. (2002). Be tire smart: Play your PART. Schultz, P. W. (2004). Community Based Social Market Pilot to Increase Proper Tire Maintenance. Final report submitted to the California Intergrated Management Board. Schultz, P. W., & Oskamp, S. (2000). Social psychology: An applied perspective. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.