Using the Community Readiness Model as an Approach to Formative Evaluation

Abstract

This article presents an adapted version of an established model for assessing community readiness along with an illustrative case example from the evaluation of Positive Action, a school-based social and character development intervention, implemented as part of a randomized controlled trial in Chicago Public Schools from 2004 through 2010. Community readiness is an emerging assessment approach that can be used to gauge the level of understanding, desire, and ownership that community members have regarding a community problem and/or intervention. This approach is useful in engaging the community and leveraging particular aspects of readiness that the community may exhibit in order to maximize an intervention's successful implementation. The article concludes with a discussion of ways in which a community readiness model may be useful in health promotion practice, both in schools and in other community settings.

Assessing Capacity of Faith-Based Organizations for Health Promotion Activities

“…Literature describing how to systematically assess organizational capacity is infrequent (Jarpe-Ratner et al, 2013), particularly in FBOs. In a recent review of readiness/capacity models (Castañeda et al, 2012), it was noted that measurement was still at the early stages (Foster-Fishman, Cantillon, Pierce, & Van Egeren, 2007), characterized as underdeveloped, and a priority for implementation science (Newhouse, Bobay, Dykes, Stevens, & Titler, 2013).…”

Meeting the Challenges of Longitudinal Cluster-Based Trials in Schools: Lessons From the Chicago Trial of Positive Action

“…More generally, indices pertaining to implementation (e.g., teacher description of amount and quality of PA activities in the classroom, perceived effectiveness of the activities, student reports of exposure to and attitudes toward the program) tended to show variability across schools, especially in early years, with improvements over time (Bickman et al, 2009). By the end of Year 6, one school was implementing at only a moderate level of fidelity, three at a moderate to high level, and three at high levels (Jarpe-Ratner et al, 2013). Although neither the levels nor the consistency of implementation achieved are ideal, it seems likely that shortcomings in this aspect of the trial would have been notably more pronounced in the absence of the above-described strategies.…”

Readiness of The Community-Based Organization in Improving Female Adolescents Iron Folate Status in a Rural Area

“…The developer of this model defines community readiness as "the relative acceptance of a program, action, or another form of localbased decision-making activity. 11 Studies examining the readiness of CBO in anemia prevention and control programs in adolescent girls are still lacking because previous studies did not analyze the context, such as situation conditions, expectations, abilities, capacities, and readiness of the subject or actor who implements the intervention. The discussion carried out is often only emphasized in the form of intervention alone.…”