title: The use of key informant networks in assessment of community health.
abstract: Program planning requires the acquisition of current, reliable information to accurately define the need for the program and to aid in developing its basic structure. In a time of financial restraint, a cost- and time-efficient method for collecting information for program development is important. This paper presents a strategy, borrowed from anthropology, that develops a network of key individuals in the community as a source of information and as a potential resource in program development. The effectiveness of this approach as a method for data collection is illustrated through application to a health and medical needs assessment of a geriatric population. A community diagnosis of this population was obtained.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gregor
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Galazka
mesh_terms: D000883:Anthropology / Q000379:methods; D003256:Community Participation / Q000379:methods*; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D006285:Health Planning; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006302:Health Services Research