Assessing community health partnerships in Kansas: Using the partner tool to understand relationships

Abstract

Collaborative partnerships involving different sectors are a strategy used to address complex community health issues. Engaging diverse organizations as partners, identifying resources that can be exchanged for mutual benefit and sharing goals to reach optimal outcomes are essential elements to improving the health of the community. Through community psychology frameworks, true collaboration can be reached by exchanging information, harmonizing activities, sharing risk, responsibility, resources and rewards. In order to reach this level of collaboration, it is important that relationships between community partners within these networks are measured and resources, outcomes, value and trust are evaluated to understand contributions to successful outcomes. The purpose of this study was to use social network analysis methods to describe characteristics of two community health partnerships in rural Kansas preparing for community health improvement plan development. Characteristics of network members were evaluated based on type of organization represented, perceptions of success and attributes contributing to levels of collaboration activity. The PARTNER Tool survey was used to describe these relationships. Results indicated that the type of organizations represented were not strongly associated with success based on eight sectors that represent key community health players. Resource contributions and partnership outcomes were also evaluated with community connections and specific health expertise strongly associated with perceptions of success. Additionally, increased knowledge sharing, new sources of data and public awareness were outcomes most associated with perceived success. Elements of value and trust were measured relative to level of collaboration activity and level of involvement made the strongest contribution.