Pragmatic Intervention Evaluation
SBS 523
Subject & Catalog Number
Course Information
Description
SBS 523 prepares students to design and justify an intervention trial to evaluate a public health intervention. Emphasizing pragmatic trials that can be implemented in real-world settings, the course uses Theory of Change (ToC) and the PRECIS-2 framework to guide decisions along the pragmatic–explanatory continuum.
The course focuses on four experimental designs commonly used in NIH-funded intervention research:
- Individually randomized controlled trial (RCT)
- Individually randomized group treatment trial (IGRT)
- Parallel (or cluster) group randomized trial (GRT)
- Stepped wedge group randomized trial (SWGRT)
Throughout this interactive course, students will collaborate with peers to justify the methodological considerations, assumptions, strengths, and limitations of their chosen intervention trial design. By the end of the course, students will have produced an intervention evaluation plan that specifies the design of a trial to evaluate a social- and behavioral theory–informed intervention of their choice.
Topics not covered
Although the course emphasizes the practical application of designing pragmatic intervention trials, it will not cover:
- Quasi-experimental and econometric designs (e.g., interrupted time series, difference-in-differences)
- Adaptive designs (e.g., SMART)
- Cost-effectiveness analyses
- Dissemination or implementation research
Students interested in these topics will be directed to other course offerings.
Class Notes
PHS students in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department are required to complete SBS 522 before enrolling in this course. Students from other departments are welcome but should have a basic understanding of research design and methods. During the first week, students should be prepared to select a multilevel intervention to evaluate—either one they previously developed (e.g., in SBS 522) or one with which they are already familiar.
Students are encouraged to contact the course instructor at enagler@hsph.harvard.edu with any questions about whether this course is a good fit.
Available for Harvard Cross Registration
