Increasing access to program information: a strategy for improving adolescent health.

OBJECTIVES: To identify existing programs serving 11- to 15-year-olds that aim to improve adolescent health in the areas of Health & Well-being, Fitness, Family & Peer Relationships, School Environment, Smoking, Alcohol Use, and Violence and to assess the utility of readily available resources in providing detailed program information. METHODS: In Phase 1, publicly available program databases were searched to identify potential programs serving the target population. In Phase 2, an in-depth search of a limited sample of programs meeting the content and age criteria was performed to identify program descriptors. RESULTS: Over 1,000 program names were identified in Phase 1. Information regarding programs is becoming more readily available through the internet; however, the program information that was publicly available only begins to draw the picture. Phase 2 revealed that a broad array of efforts are underway in all seven content areas, but found information on the program descriptors to be limited. CONCLUSIONS: Investment in programming is not enough; an upfront investment in communication and information sharing is critical in order to maximize the resources dedicated to the improvement of adolescent health. A well-publicized centralized program repository offered in conjunction with technical assistance would provide an efficient mechanism for this information sharing. We further suggest that the inherent gap between research and practice can be lessened by building a new body of practice knowledge. This would require improved program data collection by programs, the incorporation of program participation information in national surveys and enhanced evaluation efforts.

Community capacity building in CDC's Community Coalition Partnership Programs for the Prevention of Teen Pregnancy.

PURPOSE: To describe lessons learned from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Community Coalition Partnership Program (CCPP) about building a community's capacity to prevent teen pregnancy through strengthening of partnerships, mobilization of community resources, and changes in the number and quality of community programs. METHODS: A multi-component post-test-only evaluation. In-person interviews (n = 364) were conducted with a sample of CCPP project staff, evaluators, and community and agency members from each of the 13 CCPP communities. RESULTS: All partnerships reported that new groups worked together to address teen pregnancy prevention; however, more time, effort, and resources than anticipated were spent engaging these groups and strengthening their partnerships. Respondents reported increases in community awareness of the problem of teen pregnancy and the willingness to discuss the issue. As a result of partnerships' activities, knowledge and skills related to addressing teen pregnancy improved among partnership members, but respondents were concerned that the broader community did not share these gains. To a lesser extent, respondents reported that partners worked together to reduce duplication and fill gaps in services either through increased collaboration and/or differentiation of activities. Respondents from most of the partnerships also reported new programs were developed as a result of the project; however, in several partnerships, only a few programs were developed in their community. Many respondents doubted whether the limited mobilization of resources during the program would translate into increased agency and community capacity. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, increased partner skills, program improvements, and new programs did not appear to be sufficient to affect community capacity. Research is needed to identify the pathways between changes in community capacity and in individual-level behavior that might result in the avoidance or reduction of teen pregnancy.

Coalition models: lessons learned from the CDC's Community Coalition Partnership Programs for the Prevention of Teen Pregnancy.

PURPOSE: To describe the models created by the 13 communities in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Community Coalition Partnership Program (CCPP), and the relationship between key organizational features of the coalitions and the perception by coalition members of interim and community-wide outcomes. METHODS: This study relied on three sources of data: interviews conducted on site with a sample of coalition staff, evaluators, and members (n = 364); a written survey administered after the site visit to those interviewed (n = 216) asking about perceived outcomes and changes between the beginning and end of the project; and a coalition member survey mailed to all coalition members at all sites (n = 341) focusing on perceptions of coalition functioning, outcomes, and satisfaction. RESULTS: A variety of coalition models were developed. Respondents were positive in their assessments of how their coalitions operated even though few were sustained. The coalitions for which members perceived more positive outcomes were better established at the outset of the grant, led by paid staff, and had an area-wide focus, a steering committee, and a hub that was not a community-based organization. Coalitions composed primarily of neighborhood members were difficult to maintain. CONCLUSIONS: Despite members' high ratings, by the end of the funding period most coalitions were no longer functioning. It may be that coalitions are useful but not as permanent structures in communities. Grassroots and individual members not affiliated with an agency may require meaningful incentives to sustain participation. Because maturity of the coalition at the start of the project was a good predictor of sustainability, time should be spent verifying the stage of coalition development before funding.