Defining and operationalizing capacity for heart health promotion in Nova Scotia, Canada.

This paper presents an operational definition of capacity building for heart health promotion, instruments developed to measure heart health capacity, and baseline results of capacity for 20 organizations. Qualitative and quantitative research methods were used to collect data. Three instruments were developed to measure organizational capacity for heart health promotion: a survey of community agencies involved in heart health, a questionnaire of organizational practices supportive of heart health promotion, and an interview guide that focused on factors influencing heart health promotion. These instruments proved effective and informed the development of a comprehensive framework for heart health promotion.