182628 Integrating community readiness assessments into the translational research process

Monday, October 27, 2008: 12:45 PM

Sheila Faye LaHousse, MA , Moores UCSD Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
Pennie G. Foster-Fishman, PhD , Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Paula R. Beerman, MPH , Moores UCSD Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
Translating and adapting innovative evidence-based health interventions to communities experiencing health disparities via community-based participatory methods can also help close the gap between science and practice. However, communities may be at different stages of readiness, which largely determines whether an intervention is implemented and accepted by the community. Public health practitioners should implement programs when a community is “ready.” Readiness assessments can determine a project's feasibility and the capacity building strategies needed. Community readiness is multidimensional and different models place emphasis on different components of readiness. This presentation integrates existing assessment models of community and organizational readiness into a practical format. Participants will learn how to assess readiness as part of their prevention planning and implementation efforts. Implications and future recommendations for public health practitioners and scholars are discussed.

Learning Objectives:
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 1.Describe the process of assessing readiness in translational research. 2.Recognize the difference between readiness and capacity for change. 3. Integrate readiness assessments into prevention planning and implementation efforts.

Keywords: Evidence Based Practice, Planning

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I've done a thorough literature review of over 150 journal articles on the subject matter and use readiness assessments in my applied public health work.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.