Role of community partnerships in the DC Tobacco Free Families Campaign: Results of an independent qualitative evaluation

The DC Tobacco Free Families (DCTFF) campaign was a comprehensive tobacco control program funded by the DC Department of Health and administered by the American Lung Association. The campaign model was based on recommendations from the CDC Task Force on Community Prevention Services, which include collaborating with community-based partners. DCTFF collaborated with over 100 community-based partners. DCTFF community partners provided community outreach and cessation services, recruited health care providers to receive training in Public Health Services guidelines, collected data on effective media messages for reaching specific underserved populations, and collaborated with DCTFF to develop and disseminate materials and resources. Independent evaluators conducted site visits to six DCTFF partners, selected to represent diverse underserved DC communities. Evaluators observed program operations and interviewed staff and clients about program services, partnership with DCTFF, tailoring resources for targeted client population, and clients' responses to DCTFF messages and services. Qualitative data analysis revealed several common themes across community partners: Messages had to come from someone clients identified with to be effective. Much of the information about the dangers of tobacco use was new to partners' clients. Many underserved clients have multiple stressors and health issues and would feel unable to quit without personal support from a member of their community. Community partners enabled DCTFF to reach underserved communities. Community partners depended on DCTFF to provide critical information and services. Community partners attributed the collaborations' success to DCTFF's ability to effectively communicate concern for clients' health and willingness to listen and respond to community needs.