Network Analysis as a Tool for Assessing and Building Community Capacity for Provision of Chronic Disease Services

A network analysis was conducted in spring 2000 by the Southwest Center for Health Promotion in the U.S.-Mexico border community of Douglas, Arizona. The purpose of the analysis was to assess the level of collaboration among the 23 public and not-for-profit agencies that provided health and human services for a broad range of chronic disease prevention, screening, and treatment services. Data were also collected on levels of trust and anticipated outcomes (benefits and draw-backs) of collaboration. The article presents the findings of the network analysis, focusing on its usefulness as a tool for evaluating efforts at building community capacity through enhanced interagency collaboration.