Hi Helen-
I've just recently completed a needs assessment and used several
references for ideas.  The key one was "Planning and Conducting Needs
Assessments" by Belle Witkin and James Altschuld, Sage, 1995.  There are
several other books by Sage in a "Focus Group Kit", all useful, if a bit
loaded toward the 'hire a professional' approach.

Re; Respondent fatigue - it is important that participants feel there
will be some policy outcomes from the assessment.  This is hard to
guarantee, but a certain amount of persistence in pushing results
helps.  At the end of my assessment, I invited community service
providers to a focus group, whose primary aim was informing them of
identified needs.  Several of the participants in the group immediately
started planning.
    Participants in the initial assessment were also told of the
liklihood of response from the City, funding issues, and etc.  Once they
knew that there was political will behind the assessment, they were more
than willing to help.


Helen A Lewis wrote:

> Hi there
>
> I am looking for advice or material on conducting a health
> promotion needs assessment  - I am conducting such an
> assessment on behalf of a donor funded community-based
> academic/community/local authority partnership and would
> appreciate any material, useful literature or advice anyone can give
> me.
>
> Thanx
> Helen Lewis
>
> PS Community members are heartily sick of being harassed by
> researchers looking for opinions on issues and not following
> through.
> Helen A Lewis
> e-mail; [log in to unmask]
> Fax: +27 11 647 2625
> Tel: +27 11 647 2593/4; 011 647 2240
> Address: PO Box 41, WITS, 2050
> add: PO Box 41, WITS, 2050 South Africa
>
> "Health promotion - making a world of difference"