The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #69855

Elisa Nicholas, MD, MSPH, Long Beach Alliance for Children with Asthma, The Children's Clinic, 2651 Elm Ave Suite 100, Long Beach, CA 90806, 562-427-4249, enicholas@memorialcare.org, Jane W. Peterson, RN, PhD, School of Nursing, Seattle University, 900 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122-4340, and Marielena Lara, MD, MPH, UCLA/RAND Program on Latino Children with Asthma, UCLA and University of Puerto Rico, 1700 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401.

Background: The active involvement of community members is essential to improving the way health conditions, including asthma, are managed in the community. A goal of the Allies Against Asthma (AAA) initiative is to support coalitions as a mechanism to partner the grassroots community with other sectors in improving efforts to control pediatric asthma.

Methods: The Coalition Self-Assessment Survey was administered to coalition members in 7 sites in 2002 to assess coalition effectiveness 18 months after initiation of planning and implementation grants. Responses of participants who were identified as grassroots or as representatives of community-based organizations were analyzed for their level of participation in the coalition, their perceptions of whether or not they feel they can talk openly and honestly at coalition meetings and also whether or not the benefits of participation outweigh the costs.

Results: Preliminary findings (n=294) showed that of those who identified themselves as from grass roots or community-based organizations, 68.6% reported that they were either fairly involved or very involved in coalition activities. Respondents agreed or strongly agreed (81.6%) that they could talk openly and honestly at the coalition meetings, and respondents reported (79.5%) that the benefits of participation in the coalition outweigh the costs.

Conclusions: Baseline data from the Coalition Self Assessment Survey (CSAS) from all 7 sites support the perceptions of early successes in engaging and insuring the needed participation of the community in the strategic planning phase. Community members are engaged and trust in the coalition process.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:
• recognize the importance of involving community members and community based organizations (CBOs) in managing health conditions, particularly asthma
• recognize the coalition approach as a mechanism for effectively bringing community members and CBOs together with other sectors as partners in disease management
• identify aspects of coalition participation that are indicative of a "successful" coalition process
• identify strategies for engaging and sustaining active involvement by individual community members and CBOs in community health coalitions

Keywords: Asthma, Coalition

Related Web page: www.asthma.umich.edu/

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.