This Article Full Text (OnlineFirst PDF) All Versions of this Article: 1090198108317408v1 36/3/550    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Foster-Fishman, P. G. Articles by Van Egeren, L. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Foster-Fishman, P. G. Articles by Van Egeren, L. A. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Who Participates and Why: Building a Process Model of Citizen Participation

Michigan State University, East Lansing

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: fosterfi{at}msu.edu.

	Abstract

Initiating and sustaining sufficient levels of participation among residents in low-income and urban neighborhoods have become significant focuses of many initiatives that strive to develop healthy communities. This study examines the factors associated with citizen participation levels in resident leaders and followers in seven low-income neighborhoods in one community. Overall, the findings suggest that different factors facilitate participation in leaders and followers. Leaders are more likely to actively participate in neighborhood and community affairs if they perceive themselves as having the skills needed to organize others and make change happen. Whereas perceived skill levels also matter for followers, these residents are strongly influenced by the norms for activism within their neighborhood. These norms mediate the impact of neighborhood readiness and capacity for change on citizen participation levels. Implications for funders and practitioners interested in promoting healthy communities are discussed.

First published on February 18, 2009, doi:10.1177/1090198108317408

Health Education & Behavior 2009;36:550.

A more recent version of this article appeared on June 1, 2009


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. C. Kegler, J. E. Painter, J. M. Twiss, R. Aronson, and B. L. Norton Evaluation findings on community participation in the California Healthy Cities and Communities program Health Promot. Int., December 1, 2009; 24(4): 300 - 310. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]