Addressing chronic disease through coalition-building: An evaluation of the San Diego Diabetes Coalition

Introduction: Diabetes affects 125,000 people in San Diego County and requires a coordinated, population-level approach for its prevention, treatment, and management. The San Diego Diabetes Coalition evaluation examined the functioning of a three-year-old health care collaborative designed to meet this public health crisis, using the concept of “partnership synergy” as a proximal indicator of the Coalition's likelihood of effectiveness.

Objectives: The Coalition wanted to understand how the partnership was working for its membership, in order to strengthen the partnership, its programs, and its eventual outcomes.

Methods: The evaluation employed a utilization framework, in which the needs of the intended users (the Coalition) were paramount. Coalition functioning was assessed using the 67-item Partnership Self-Assessment Test, developed by New York Academy of Medicine researchers. Members completed an online questionnaire, which measured partnership synergy through constructs of leadership, decision-making, efficiency, administration, and resources. It also measured the benefits, drawbacks, and overall satisfaction with participation in the Coalition. There were 30 respondents, representing public and private health organizations, providers, and community groups.

Results: Members reported the greatest benefits were building relationships and having a greater impact on diabetes than they could on their own. They felt the leadership was adept at building trust among partners and were satisfied with the decision making process. While the benefits outweighed the drawbacks, members were unsatisfied with the Coalition's plans for achieving its goals and evaluating its progress, its connections to policymakers, and its ability to respond to community needs. These results will inform the Coalition's future direction.