Shape Up Somerville Case Study: An evaluation of community engagement strategies to prevent disease and promote health equity

This qualitative case study explores promising community-based strategies for preventing disease among vulnerable populations. The author conducted semi-structured interviews with thirteen community leaders who participate in cross-sectoral collaborations and/or serve vulnerable communities in Somerville, Massachusetts. Interview questions focused on community engagement strategies and their outcomes, including direct outreach to individual community members and collaboration with community-based nonprofit organizations that have on-going contact and personal relationships with individual community members. Results are consistent with previous evidence that successful community engagement can improve health initiative implementation and outcomes. Interview responses revealed that successful community engagement is characterized by: shared resources and decision-making power, overlapping goals, face-to-face interaction, trust, cultural sensitivity, celebration of strengths, mutual support and respect for unshared priorities, and a popular education approach. Responses also revealed deep concern for social determinants of health and opportunities for cross-sectoral collaboration to promote health through social, economic, and environmental change. Keywords: Immigrant Health – Disease Prevention – Community Engagement – Cross-Sector Collaboration – Social Determinants of HealthMaster of Public Healt