Theory Based Implementation and Evaluation of Complex Interventions: Experiences from Ghana

Complex interventions consist of multiple interacting components and are often implemented in heterogeneous settings. While implementation scientists are encouraged to use theories to select context appropriate implementation strategies, in many situations, pre-existing theories do not exist, and theories need to be constructed from local knowledge. In this talk, we present several examples of how the Theory of Change approach typically used in program planning was used to develop implementation theories for programs of increasing complexity, and the evaluation approaches that have been designed and are in use to test these theories. While describing work still in progress, this seminar will share experiences of the process of theory building and implementation, lessons learned, results achieved to date, and evaluation approaches and challenges. This seminar will be of interest to researchers interested in evaluation in real life settings and practitioners seeking examples of the systematic application of implementation science theories and frameworks to real world settings.