A Mixed Methods Approach to Evaluation of a Community-Academic Partnership:The Hepatitis B Center for Excellence in Eliminating Health Disparities among Asian Pacific Islanders in New York City

Collaboration between academic institutions and community organizations as a strategy to reduce health disparities in affected communities has been widely recommended and practiced in the field of public health. Intrinsic to the success of such collaborations is the ability of collaborators to function effectively in addressing mutually established goals. This study is designed to assess the functioning of the B Free CEED coalition from the perspective of the community and academic participants. The evaluation consists of qualitative key informant interviews with all members to explore the context of coalition function and an anonymous on-line quantitative survey assessing general satisfaction, impact, trust, decision making, adherence to CBPR principals, partnership organization/structure. The qualitative assessment identified important historical and environmental factors in the evolution of the coalition that impact on function. Preliminary findings from the quantitative survey reveal similarities and differences among community and academic partners. Overall partners agree in their assessment of the coalition functioning. All partners have a clear understanding of the CBPR principles and that the coalition follows the principles. Members share a sense of ownership of what the coalition does and accomplishes. More than 90% of members believe the coalition can have a positive effect on the community. In general, academic members feel more satisfied with the activities of the coalition, effectiveness at achieving goals and the generation and dissemination of new knowledge. A mixed methods approach to evaluation provides important complementary information to guide coalition function. Findings enhance partnership/coalition function through the development of a specific action plan.