Critical factors in building local capacity to prevent and control injury: North Carolina's experience.

In fiscal years 1991-1992, a state injury control program awarded $258,000 to 33 local health departments for 50 community-based injury prevention projects. To determine whether this program helped build the capacity of local health departments to prevent injury, project reports were reviewed and project directors were surveyed. For four of six factors developed to assess capacity building, success was demonstrated for all local projects to some degree. However, continued support is necessary to assure that the local health departments can sustain this capacity and continue to develop proficiency in data monitoring and evaluation.