Citation

Crowley KM, Yu P, Kaftarian SJ. Eval. Program Plann. 2000; 23(3): 381-388.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/S0149-7189(00)00027-6

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

An important goal of the Cross-Site Evaluation of the Community Coalitions Program was to advocate coalition building that would increase prevention activities and reduce substance abuse within the community. This study examined the factors that affected the coalition-building process and the community-based outcomes. The model for building coalitions consisted of various components such as coalition structure, characteristics, capacity, and prevention activities. The hypothesized model for building coalitions assumed that prevention activities and community actions influenced substance abuse behavioral outcomes and related health outcomes directly and indirectly through their influence on immediate and intermediate outcomes. The model was tested using data collected over three years (1996-1998) from coalitions that participated in the Community Coalitions Program. The results of this study provide evidence to support the hypothesized model for building coalitions. Specifically, coalitions that focused on prevention activities and community actions experienced community-based reductions in substance abuse behaviors and related health problems.