A methodology for monitoring and evaluating community health coalitions

Abstract

Community coalitions are prominent mechanisms for building local capacities to address health and social concerns. Although there are case studies and descriptive reports on coalitions, there is little empirical information about coalition process and outcome. This paper describes a case study using a methodology for monitoring and evaluating community health coalitions. Data are fed back to coalition leaders and members, funding agents, and other relevant audiences as part of the development process. The monitoring system provides data on eight key measures of coalition process and outcome: the number of members, planning products, financial resources generated, dollars obtained, volunteers recruited, services provided, community actions and community changes. Illustrative data are presented for two different community health coalitions. Finally, challenges and opportunities in evaluating community coalitions are discussed.

REVIEW OF COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH: Assessing Partnership Approaches to Improve Public Health

“…Disseminates findings and knowledge gained to all partners Communitybased research seeks to disseminate findings and knowledge gained to all partners involved, in language that is understandable and respectful, and "where ownership of knowledge is acknowledged" (10, p. 186; 36, 56, 69, 106, 110, 155, 161, 191). The ongoing feedback of data and use of results to inform action are integral to this approach (45,51,82). This dissemination principle also includes researchers consulting with participants prior to submission of any materials for publication, acknowledging the contributions of participants and, as appropriate, developing co-authored publications (155).…”

Process Evaluation for Community Participation

“…This is not surprising given the amount of time and effort needed to show these kinds of health status changes (2,9,11,48,61,69). However, coalitions do need to evaluate their intermediate process outcomes, such as community participation, and link them to realistic, corresponding community outcomes such as new indoor air policies (26,32).…”

“…The entries describe program objectives, actions taken by members and those outside the group, targets of action, actors' names, dates of action, and locations of action (20,21,26). The logs document members' actual levels of participation in coalition activities better than does recall alone.…”

“…The Rhode Island Community AOD Task Force Leader Interview (24), Minnesota Statewide Association for Family Planning Interview (33), East Side Village Health Worker Interview (1), Project ASSIST Interview (39), AAPI Member Interview (58), and RWJF Allies Against Asthma Interviews (18) are examples of structured interviews that were used to gather information about member, leader, and staff participation and perceptions. The University of Kansas Work Group used structured interviews to clarify and check for completeness of event logs (21,26).…”

“…Coalition evaluators commonly review coalition documents such as meeting agenda, attendance rosters, minutes, and annual reports to determine how, when, where, and how often members participate (13,26,29,39,58).…”