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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Robert Aronson, DrPH, Department of Public Health Education, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, P.O. Box 26170, Greensboro, NC 27402, 27402, rearonso@uncg.edu, Barbara L. Norton, MPH, Department of Health Promotion Sciences, University of Oklahoma, School of Public Health, P.O. Box 26901, Oklahoma City, OK 73109, Michelle Kegler, DrPH, Department of Behavioral Science and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, and Joan Twiss, MEd, Center for Civic Partnerships, 1851 Heritage Lane, Suite 250, Sacramento, CA 95815.

Organizational and inter-organizational outcomes represent two levels of the social ecology examined in an evaluation of the California Healthy Cities and Communities (CHCC) initiative. This presentation will describe how the organizational landscape for community-based health promotion has been strengthened through resource leveraging, dynamic program and infrastructure development, and supportive reforms in policies and practices of public institutions and private voluntary groups alike. The evaluation design was a multiple case study of 20 participating communities with cross-case analysis. Data collection involved: review of program documents; participant surveys in the first and third years of the project (n=330 and n=243, respectively); 165 in-depth interviews with local coordinators, community leaders, sponsoring organization directors and CHCC staff; and 26 focus groups in 9 communities selected for site visits (n=176). Types and specific examples of outcomes achieved through this initiative will be presented. These include: an eight-fold return on investment in new grants, contracts and other financial resources; new or improved health promotion programs; significant growth in collaborative approaches to community problem-solving and establishment of dozens of institutionalized community partnerships; and big and small changes in how organizations view community health and their role in fostering it. Factors that facilitated or inhibited this type of community change, differences by rural/urban nature of the community, and suggestions for development of organizational change measures in community interventions will also be highlighted.

Learning Objectives: At the end of the session, participants (learners) will be able to

• Identify specific types of organizational and inter-organizational outcomes that can be examined in the evaluation of healthy cities and communities initiatives;
• Discuss factors that can inhibit or facilitate organizational and inter-organizational change

Keywords: Community Collaboration, Evaluation

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered