Network-Informed Complex Evaluation: Evaluating Complex Health Programs Using Social Network Analysis - Lixin Zhang

This book advances a new evaluation theory—Network-Informed Complex Evaluation—and presents a corresponding conceptual framework, methodological approaches, and applications of social network analysis for assessing complex health programs. Its primary purpose is to provide a structured, theory-driven integration of social network analysis into program evaluation, particularly within healthcare and public health. Rather than an introductory guide to social network analysis, this book demonstrates how network thinking can be systematically embedded within evaluation theory and practice.

Programs advancing health equity operate within dynamic, interconnected systems shaped by social, structural, and institutional forces. While various evaluation methods are available, there remains a critical need for innovative approaches capable of capturing these dynamics. Social network analysis has increasingly been applied to address such complexity; however, its application remains limited due to the lack of unified conceptual and methodological guidance. To meaningfully inform the evaluation of complex health programs, social network analysis must be conceptually grounded, methodologically rigorous, and aligned with multilevel social-ecological systems. This book addresses this gap by offering an accessible blueprint for integrating network-informed approaches into evaluation practice. It provides step-by-step guidance to help practitioners design and implement network-informed evaluations across individual, organizational, and system levels. Topics covered include:

Network-Informed Complex Evaluation is an essential resource for evaluation practitioners, public health professionals, intervention implementers, and researchers. It is primarily intended for evaluators seeking to integrate network analysis into the assessment of complex programs, particularly in healthcare and public health contexts. The book is also relevant to practitioners and researchers in other fields who aim to incorporate network-informed approaches into the evaluation of complex programs. It also serves as a supplementary text for graduate and professional courses in program evaluation, public health, social work, and related disciplines.