Which of the following is an indicator used to evaluate the effectiveness of a PM program in an operational setting?

• A. Weather conditions during deployment
• B. Vaccination coverage
• C. Color of clinic walls
• D. Number of vending machines at clinic

Answer: (B)

Measuring how well a preventive medicine program works in real settings relies on indicators that reflect actual reach and health impact. Vaccination coverage shows the proportion of the target population that has received vaccines, directly signaling how effectively the program is delivering the preventive intervention and protecting people. It captures both access to services and uptake, which are essential for assessing real-world success and progress toward disease prevention goals. The other options don’t measure health outcomes or service delivery impact: weather during deployment is a situational factor, the color of clinic walls is unrelated to health outcomes, and the number of vending machines doesn’t reflect program effectiveness.