Abstract
This paper examines factors that facilitate or impede the implementation of heart health activities in Ontario public health departments using survey (n=262) and depth interview (n=56) data from Canadian Heart Health Initiative-Ontario Project (CHHIOP). The data were consistent in revealing factors related to leadership, staffing, resources, internal organization, and characteristics of the surrounding community as the primary facilitators or barriers. Diversity within these common themes reflected variation due to external factors in the communities served by the health unit and factors internal to the health unit itself. The findings advance knowledge of the factors that influence predisposition and capacity to undertake community-based heart health promotion in public health departments, and they underscore the challenge of achieving integrated programs among partner agencies.
Résumé
Cet article examine les facteurs qui facilitent ou entravent la mise en place d’activités liées à la santé du coeur dans les services ontariens de santé publique. Dans le cadre de l’Initiative canadienne de santé du coeur - Projet ontarien, les recherches utilisent les données d’une enquête (n=262) et des entretiens détaillés (n=56). L’analyse a fait ressortir des thèmes qui ont identifié comme les principaux facilitateurs ou obstacles les facteurs liés aux domaines suivants: le leadership, l’affectation de personnel, les ressources, l’organisation interne et les caractéristiques de la communauté environnante. La diversité dans ces thèmes communs reflète les variations causées par des facteurs externes présents dans les communautés servies par l’unité de santé mais aussi par des facteurs internes au sein de l’unité de santé ellemême. Les résultats font progresser les connaissances acquises sur les facteurs qui influencent la prédisposition et la capacité à entreprendre, à l’échelle communautaire, la promotion de la santé du coeur dans les services de santé publique. Ils soulignent également le défi que représente la réalisation de programmes intégrés au sein des organismes partenaires.
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