title: Dimensions of community and organizational readiness for change.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Readiness can influence whether health interventions are implemented in, and ultimately integrated into, communities. Although there is significant research interest in readiness and capacity for change, the measurement of these constructs is still in its infancy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this review was to integrate existing assessment models of community and organizational readiness.
  
  
  METHODS
  The database PubMed was searched for articles; articles, book chapters, and practitioner guides identified as references cited in the list of core articles.
  
  
  METHODS
  Studies were included if they met the following criteria: (1) Empirical research, (2) identified community or organizational readiness for innovative health programming in the study's title, purpose, research questions, or hypotheses, and (3) identified methods to measure these constructs. Duplicate articles were deleted and measures published before 1995 were excluded. The search yielded 150 studies; 13 met all criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This article presents the results of a critical review of 13 community and organizational readiness assessment models, stemming from articles, chapters, and practitioner's guides focusing on assessing, developing, and sustaining community and organizational readiness for innovative public health programs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Readiness is multidimensional and different models place emphasis on different components of readiness, such as (1) community and organizational climate that facilitates change, (2) attitudes and current efforts toward prevention, (3) commitment to change, and (4) capacity to implement change. When initiating the program planning process, it is essential to assess these four domains of readiness to determine how they apply to the nuances across different communities. Thus, community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnerships, in efforts to focus on public health problems, may consider using readiness assessments as a tool for tailoring intervention efforts to the needs of the community.
authors: San Diego State University Graduate School of Public Health, USA.
authors: Sheila F
authors: SF
authors: Castañeda
authors: Jessica
authors: J
authors: Holscher
authors: Manpreet K
authors: MK
authors: Mumman
authors: Hugo
authors: H
authors: Salgado
authors: Katherine B
authors: KB
authors: Keir
authors: Pennie G
authors: PG
authors: Foster-Fishman
authors: Gregory A
authors: GA
authors: Talavera
mesh_terms: D057191:Capacity Building; D018672:Community Health Planning; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D014481:United States