4110.0: Tuesday, November 14, 2000 - 12:30 PM

Abstract #12573

Assessing community capacity in community-based prevention marketing

Melinda S. Forthofer, PhD, Danice K. Eaton, PhD(c), Lauren Bailey, MSPH, Kelli McCormack Brown, PhD, CHES, Carol A. Bryant, PhD, and Robert J. McDermott, PhD. Department of Community and Family Health, University of South Florida College of Public Health; Florida Prevention Research Center, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, MDC 56, Tampa, FL 33612-3805, 813-974-6681, mforthof@hsc.usf.edu

In the Florida Prevention Research Center’s Community-Based Prevention Marketing (CBPM) model, the development of community capacity is viewed as one of the criteria for sustainability of the community’s prevention marketing initiatives. To that end, community partners (e.g., nonprofit organizations, school district representatives) are trained in and collaborate in all phases of the CBPM process. As part of an evaluation of changes in community capacity over the duration of the partnership, several community level factors have been assessed.

Preliminary measures for several indicators of community capacity were piloted with community partners in 1999. These include a measure of community level social capital based on Putnam’s (1995) work, and a measure of collective efficacy that addresses group members’ perceptions about group effectiveness, a modified version of the Project Influence Scale developed by Flynn (1995), and a measure of social marketing competency. Evaluation plans include monitoring of contextual influences on community capacity and further refinement and validation of these measures, as well as periodic reassessment to identify changes in community capacity during the project period. Results from baseline and the first round of follow-up data will be presented, with emphasis on the challenges encountered in assessing change in community capacity over time.

Assessment of change in community capacity over time is fraught with many challenges, some of which can be overcome with thoughtful use of contextual data and close collaboration with community partners.

Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will understand the strengths and limitations of alternative approaches to assessing community-capacity. 2. Participants will understand theoretical linkages between community capacity and health promotion program sustainability

Keywords: Evaluation, Community Building

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

The 128th Annual Meeting of APHA