title: Implementation partnerships in a community-based intergenerational oral health study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  University-community partnerships are a common strategy used in implementing community-based health promotion trials, yet few published studies report these interactions in detail. "Baby Smiles" was a five-year intervention study in Oregon, USA. The study involved 400 low-income women during and after pregnancy across four rural counties. In this report, we describe and assess four university-community health partnerships formed to support the intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  A community health partnership advisory group for the study was established in each of the four participating counties. Group membership ranged from 9 to 23 individuals. A survey was administered to the groups five times in a 2.5 year period. The survey asked members' opinions of the intervention's goals, scientific basis and relevance to their organisation. Questions also asked about members' knowledge of oral health, beliefs about access to dental care for low-income pregnant women and children in their county and how their organisation functioned.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was strong overall support by each partnership group despite differences in the groups' structure, foci and turnover in membership during intervention period. Responses to specific survey items indicating misinformation or negative opinions about oral health care were used to address weaknesses in study implementation throughout the conduct of the study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Systematic monitoring of community support for a multi-year oral health intervention is feasible and can identify potential barriers to address while the study is underway.
authors: C E
authors: CE
authors: Huebner
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Milgrom
authors: L A
authors: LA
authors: Mancl
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Smolen
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Sutherland
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Weinstein
authors: C A
authors: CA
authors: Riedy
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D019058:Community Networks / Q000458:organization & administration; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D003729:Dental Care; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health; D009922:Oregon; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D011203:Poverty; D011247:Pregnancy; D055818:Public-Private Sector Partnerships / Q000458:organization & administration; D012423:Rural Health