[Evaluation: an avenue to improvement of health promotion in Africa?].

Are the methods used to evaluate health promotion interventions in Africa adapted to the specificities of this field ? The authors try to answer this question based on reflective analysis of four evaluations that they conducted in Benin, Burkina Faso and Mali. The experiences reported illustrate the desire to conduct the evaluation approach in line with the principles of health promotion but also the difficulties involved to overcome the obstacles to practical application of evaluation. Considerable progress has yet to be made to ensure that evaluation fully meets the expectations of stakeholders and the values of health promotion : all of the dynamics generated by health promotion interventions must be taken into account, equity must be integrated at the heart of the reflection, innovative practices must be supported in view of their durability. Because it facilitates the emergence and sharing of multiple visions of this still poorly defined concept, evaluation constitutes an avenue to improvement of health promotion in Africa.