title: How to understand a community--community assessment for the promotion of health-related physical activity.
abstract: A definition of the concept of community is given and the principles and the major components of community assessment for health-related physical activity are presented. Definitions of community can include a focus on geographic, social or cultural elements. Basically community assessment deals with a process having two main aspects. The first, quantitative and descriptive aspect consists of a community profile, a wellness profile, a behavioural profile and a service profile. The second, qualitative and analytical aspect deals with organizational capabilities and the community's readiness for change. This information can be used for programme planning, implementation, and evaluation in the process of community development.
authors.affiliation: UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, Tampere, Finland. ukolpa@uta.fi
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Paronen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oja
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019058:Community Networks / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003256:Community Participation; D015444:Exercise; D005387:Finland; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010934:Planning Techniques; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires