The theme of this serial issue is helping individuals involved in community health programs at the local level to devise and apply a protocol for the evaluation of a community health program. In the opening sections of the issue evaluation is defined, the difference between a direct quantifying measure and an indicator is clarified, obstacles to accurate evaluation are identified, and steps in an evaluation process are outlined. This is followed by a section concerned with evaluation of program action, which addresses the financial, material, and human resources of a program; the amount of planned activity that was accomplished; and program implementation variables, such as the population that was served by the program. Indicators which are particularly useful in evaluating health programs are also discussed. The next section, on evaluation of program effects, addresses program results, or which specific objectives were met; the overall program impact upon the target population; and the strategy used by the program to implement its goals. Two other sections discuss indicators useful in evaluating health programs (these include availability, accessibility, utilization, and quality of service); and evaluation of the training and supervision of health service personnel. A final section dealing with evaluation of the health status of a population, points out that surveys of indicators of morality, morbidity, and nutrition are required. Interspersed throughout the issue are six self-evaluation exercises, answers to which are provided at the end of the document. A 15-item list of English and French publications for further reading is provided. (BC)