Partnership as a means for reaching special populations: evaluating the NCI's CIS Partnership Program.
BACKGROUND
The National Cancer Institute's (NCI's) Cancer Information Service (CIS) Partnership Program involves collaboration with over 900 organizations and coalitions serving minority and medically underserved populations. Cancer Information Service collaborations are categorized into three types: networking, educational program, and program development partnerships.


METHODS
A survey of CIS partnership organizations (n = 288).


RESULTS
Most respondents reported that partnerships with CIS are collaborative and make good use of their organization's skills and resources, and most perceive that the benefits of partnership outweigh any drawbacks. More than one-quarter say partnerships have not done a good job evaluating collaborative activities. Results vary among three types of partnerships.


CONCLUSIONS
Evaluation of the CIS Partnership Program presents an opportunity to examine how a large-scale and multi-faceted partnership effort has been implemented, how it is evaluated, and initial indicators of program success. Organizations, health professionals, and community leaders interested in effective partnerships can use these findings to strengthen collaborations and maximize outcomes.
La Porta
Madeline
M
The Cancer Information Service, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-8322, USA. laportam@mail.nih.gov
Hagood
Heather
H
Kornfeld
Julie
J
Treiman
Katherine
K
D022126:Access to Information; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003625:Data Collection; D004522:Educational Status; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D008913:Minority Groups; D009316:National Institutes of Health (U.S.); D009369:Neoplasms; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D014481:United States