In public health programs, goals are general statements expressing a program's aspirations or intended effect on health problems, often without time limits. What term describes these goals?

• A. Objectives
• B. Goals
• C. Outcomes
• D. Targets

Answer: (B)

Goals are broad, aspirational statements about the health impact a program aims to achieve, usually expressed without a specific deadline. That makes them general and future-oriented, focusing on the overall direction rather than the exact steps. Objectives, by contrast, take those aims and turn them into concrete, measurable steps with clear timeframes, so progress can be tracked. Outcomes are the actual health changes that occur as a result of the program, such as changes in disease rates or behaviors. Targets are the numeric benchmarks set to reach within a specific period to demonstrate progress toward an objective. For example, a goal might be to reduce tobacco use in the community; an objective would specify a measurable change (like a percent reduction) within a set time, a target would be the exact numeric goal, and the outcome would be the resulting health status changes observed after the program. So the term described is goals.