Section I

I. Policy Analysis
- Identifying the major issue/ problem
- Collecting data as a defense
- Analyzing the feasibility of policy alternatives

Policy Analysis is concerned with summarizing the best available information bearing on choices among alternatives.

II. Policy Analysis encompasses 3 steps:
- Describing current practices
- Analysis of problems caused by current practices (or new problems not yet addressed)
- Analysis of alternatives for changing current practices

III. Step 1: Describe current practices (where are we at)
a. Analyze situation at this moment in time and also over time

- What trends can you see
- Collect "data"- can be simple as use research instruments such as surveys and primary records
- Data must be analyzed and compiled into a data bank (must be useful)

b. Common data collection instruments for policy analysis

i. Surveys
- Questionnaire surveys are the most popular instrument especially for large scale data collection
- Sample must be representative
- Must have reliability and validity i.e. if I sample this group will it give me results that are honest and conclusive
- 3 types of surveys

a) Self administered mail: person completes on own so need to think of language/ vocabulary (literacy)

b) Telephone

c) Personal Interview- is more one on one but rarely used

ii. Focus Groups: small groups of people selected to discuss a very specific issue. E.g. access to care- gather clinic administrators, neighborhood people, providers. Must encourage communication, honesty, openness, but must stay on track

iii. Community agency meetings: as with the local policy process, keep in touch with agencies to assess their problems and how they are assessing and handling the problems

c. Collate data from the data collection instruments

- This step is to "make sense of the data"
- Quality not quantity: do not assume that more data always means better results. There is a need to decipher data

IV. Step 2: Identify and analyze problem
- Analyst Dunn defines a problem as "unrealized need or opportunity"
- Problem may be evident i.e. healthcare costs are too high
- Problem may be hidden i.e. poor do not receive follow-up care (is it the system or people who don't want the care?)
- Thus the current practice analysis may automatically lead to noticing the problem (and validating it) leading one to assimilate issues and then
discover a problem
- What is the significance of the problem
a. Here we can do further data collection
b. See trends in the problem
c. Have there been attempts to solve the problem
d. This leads to designing alternatives

V. Step 3: Feasibility of Policy Alternatives (what can we do)
a. After defining the problem, brainstorm on how the problem can be impacted

b. Define the significance of the problem
- What is the affect of the problem
e.g. problem is no access to prenatal care. Significance: - Leads to higher infant mortality - Leads to high costs (neonatal ICU costs)
c. Analyze alternatives by
- Costs of implementing
- Administrative feasibility
- Political support

* From this you should have a solid base of a clear, concise problem statement, the significance of the problem, the objective of the policy (stems from the significance of the problem), and the alternatives to approach the problem.

- Very good approach; will narrow in the next step Policy Formulation
- In analysis: state situation/ problem and its significance