title: Factors related to partner involvement in development of the US national physical activity plan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Physical activity coalitions are increasingly forming to meet the demands associated with policy, systems, and environmental change necessary to realize increases in population levels of physical activity. Little is known about what makes physical activity coalitions successful; however, evidence from community-based coalitions in other public health domains suggests that factors related to each organization that joins a coalition may explain coalition success or failure.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to employ qualitative methods to understand the factors related to organizations' decisions to join and remain committed to the coalition that developed and launched the US National Physical Activity Plan (NPAP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative semistructured phone interviews were conducted with key informants from the NPAP coalition's partner organizations. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded separately by members of the research team.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen individuals representing 13 NPAP partner organizations participated in the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis focused on key factors explaining why and how partner organizations decided to join and remain committed to the NPAP coalition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five primary factors emerged: (1) strategic alignment, (2) organizational alignment, (3) provide input, (4) seminal event, and (5) cost/benefit ratio.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Building and maintaining a physical activity coalition with highly committed partners may hinge upon the ability to fully understand how each current or prospective partner perceives it could benefit from strategic alignment with the coalition, aligning with other organizations involved with the coalition, having input with the coalition's activities, participating in important events and products of the coalition, and realizing more overall advantages than disadvantages for participating in the coalition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, USA. danielbbornstein@gmail.com
authors.forename: Daniel B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Bornstein
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carnoske
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tabak
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maddock
authors.forename: Steven P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Hooker
authors.forename: Kelly R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Evenson
mesh_terms: D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D015444:Exercise; D006265:Health Care Coalitions; D006285:Health Planning; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D009043:Motor Activity; D014481:United States