ERIC Number: EJ1325379
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Oct
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0268-1153
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Network Analysis of a Community-Wide Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Initiative
Panjwani, Sonya; Garney, Whitney R.; Patterson, Megan S.; Ajayi, Kobi V.; Fore, Sharayah; Lang, Laura
Health Education Research, v36 n5 p518-529 Oct 2021
Although US teenage birth rates substantially decreased over the past two decades, it still remains the highest in the developed world. More innovative, community-wide initiatives are needed to combat the issue. In Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, the Central Oklahoma Teen Pregnancy Prevention Collaboration is utilizing the collective impact model to convene multiple organizations with the goal of making systems-level changes related to teenage pregnancy within the community. This study used an interorganizational network analysis to evaluate the current strength of relationships between organizations in the Collaboration. An interorganizational network survey assessed collaborative relationships (e.g. information sharing and joint planning) within the network. Using R software, network diagrams were developed to depict partner relationships, and network measures, including node-, group- and network-level measures, were calculated. The network depiction (n = 23) revealed that the network core was composed of organizations from multiple sectors, and the backbone organization served as the most central organization for most centrality measures. This study provides insight into how organizational relationships can be assessed in order to increase community capacity to address teenage pregnancy. Continuous monitoring of the strength of relationships is important to ensure success in achieving goals as well as collective impact.
Descriptors: Network Analysis, Prevention, Community Programs, Youth Programs, Pregnancy, Adolescents, Systems Approach, Program Evaluation, Cooperative Planning, Partnerships in Education, Institutional Cooperation, Capacity Building
Oxford University Press. Great Clarendon Street, Oxford OX2 6DP, UK. Tel: +44-1865-353907; Fax: +44-1865-353485; e-mail: jnls.cust.serv@oxfordjournals.org; Web site: http://her.oxfordjournals.org/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Oklahoma
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A