Process evaluation of a Dutch community intervention to improve health related behaviour in deprived neighbourhoods.

Objectives: To assess whether a community intervention on health related behaviour in deprived neighbourhoods was delivered as planned and the extent of exposure to the intervention programme.

Methods: Data were gathered throughout the intervention period using minutes of meetings, registration forms and a postal questionnaire among residents in intervention and comparison neighbourhoods.

Results: Overall, the intervention was delivered according to the key principles of a "community approach", although community participation could have been improved. Neighbourhood coalitions organized more than 50 health related activities in the neighbourhoods over a two-year period. Most activities were directed at attracting attention, providing information, and increasing awareness and knowledge, and at changing behaviours. Programme awareness and programme participation were 24% respectively 3% among residents in the intervention neighbourhoods.

Conclusions: The process evaluation indicated that it was feasible to implement a community intervention according to the key principles of the "community approach" in deprived neighbourhoods. However, it is unlikely that the total package of intervention activities had enough strength and sufficient exposure to attain community-wide health behaviour change.