Health Education Research Advance Access published online on December 21, 2004
Health Education Research, doi:10.1093/her/cyh006
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1 School of Geography and Geology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. The purpose of this paper is to examine the utility of linking systems between public health resource and user organizations for health promotion dissemination and capacity building, and to identify factors related to the success of linking systems. The design is a parallel-case study using key informant interviews and content analysis of project reports (synthesized qualitative and quantitative data) of three provincial dissemination projects of the Canadian Heart Health Initiative--Dissemination Phase. Each provincial project used linking activities with public health user groups including meetings, skill building, resources, collaboration, networking and research feedback to facilitate capacity building for and implementation of heart health promotion activities. This paper presents empirical examples of linking system designs, activities, and qualitative and quantitative changes in the public health user groups' health promotion capacity, program delivery and sustainability. The findings indicate enhanced health promotion skills, partnerships, resources, infrastructure, and increased programming and sustainability in the targeted public health organizations of all three provincial projects. Identified barriers to the success of linking systems included lack of appropriately skilled personnel, funds, buy-in and leadership. We conclude that linking systems can be flexibly used to build capacity and disseminate health promotion innovations, and suggest conditions for success. *Strategic Advisory Group: Deborah Bradley, Catherine Donovan, Myrna Gough, Scott McLean, Kelly McQuillen, P. J. Naylor, Gilles Paradis, Kim Raine; Research Advisory Group: Lori Ebbesen, Ken Fowler, Ernest Khalema, Viviane Leaune, Murray McKay, Olive Moase, Barb Riley
Received March 9, 2004
Accepted November 16, 2004
Original article
Using linking systems to build capacity and enhance dissemination in heart health promotion: a Canadian multiple-case study
2 Department of Geography, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada
3 Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1A2, Canada
4 Centre for Behavioural Research and Program Evaluation, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
5 Department of Health Studies and Gerontology, University of Waterloo, National Cancer Institute of Canada, Centre for Behavioral Research and Program Evaluation, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
6 Faculty of Education, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada
Kerry Robinson, E-mail: krobins{at}mcmaster.ca
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