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Making the Connections: Community Capacity for Tobacco Control in an Urban African American Community
Author(s) -
Merzel Cheryl,
Moon-Howard Joyce,
Dickerson Dawn,
Ramjohn Destiny,
VanDevanter Nancy
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
american journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.113
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1573-2770
pISSN - 0091-0562
DOI - 10.1007/s10464-007-9155-7
Subject(s) - health psychology , community psychology , public health , community organization , social connectedness , sociology , community health , cornerstone , public relations , action (physics) , identity (music) , variety (cybernetics) , qualitative research , social psychology , political science , psychology , medicine , social science , geography , physics , nursing , archaeology , quantum mechanics , artificial intelligence , acoustics , computer science
Developing community capacity to improve health is a cornerstone of community‐based public health. The concept of community capacity reflects numerous facets and dimensions of community life and can have different meanings in different contexts. This paper explores how members of one community identify and interpret key aspects of their community's capacity to limit the availability and use of tobacco products. Particular attention is given to examining the interrelationship between various dimensions of community capacity in order to better understand the processes by which communities are able to mobilize for social change. The study is based on qualitative analysis of 19 in‐depth interviews with key informants representing a variety of community sectors in Harlem, New York City. Findings indicate that the community is viewed as rich in human and social resources. A strong sense of community identity and connectedness underlies this reserve and serves as a catalyst for action.