David Matarrita-Cascante

Community agency and sustainable tourism development: the case of La Fortuna, Costa Rica

Previous sustainable tourism research has called for the promotion of community-based tourism as a means of achieving sustainable development goals. Such community-based development has been noted as essential for sustainable practices because of its capacity to benefit local populations while reducing tourisms negative consequences. Nonetheless, some researchers have warned that community-based tourism, by itself, does not necessarily lead to sustainable practices. This study examines local social interactional elements necessary for the achievement of sustainable tourism practices. Such practices are attainable when certain attitudinal, organizational and/or behavioral conditions are present within a community. Using a case study methodology, this article examines the interactional elements by which residents of La Fortuna, Costa Rica, engaged in sustainable tourism practices. The study was based on the theoretical notion of the community field. It used key informant interviews and participant observation. The study shows how economic, social and environmentally sustainable practices were made possible through community agency, the construction of local relationships that increase the adaptive capacity of people within a common locality. Key factors found to enable community agency are strong intra- and extra-community interactions, open communication, participation, distributive justice and tolerance.

Conceptualizing community development in the twenty-first century

The need to more accurately conceptualize the field of community development has increased during recent decades. This is largely the result of a growing field marked by its multidisciplinary nature, but also because of the multifaceted ways in which communities around the world participate in the development process. In this article, we approach the task of conceptualizing community development by providing a conceptual definition that serves both academics and practitioners. More importantly, based on such conceptualization, we offer a typology that accounts for the different forms in which community development is practiced providing strengths and weaknesses of each form.

Permanent and Seasonal Residents’ Community Attachment in Natural Amenity-Rich Areas Exploring the Contribution of Landscape-Related Factors

Previous work on amenity-driven migration documented substantial differences between permanent and seasonal residents and the effects of these differences on community social dimensions. This study focuses on seasonal and permanent residents’ attachments to their local area. To increase our understanding of those factors associated with community attachment in amenity-rich areas, we incorporate attitudinal and behavioral measures associated with the biophysical environment in our model. We find natural landscape-based factors make an independent and important contribution to community attachment for both permanent and seasonal residents.

Community Participation in Rapidly Growing Communities in Southern Utah

Amenity-rich locations attract individuals searching for places to recreate, live, or retire. As a result, such areas, many of which are in the Western United States, experience changes related to population in-migration. Past research shows how the extensive in-migration of people with different values and perspectives can contribute to social conflict in affected communities. This study focuses on the relationship of community level indicators with community participation in a five-county rapidly growing amenity-rich area in southern Utah. The research team studied two main types of community members—seasonal and permanent residents. Differences among such residents can contribute to shifts in community social interaction and affect overall participation in community affairs. Because participation in community is a central aspect of fostering local community development, it is important to understand how these processes occur. This study found structural and interactional differences between permanent and seasonal residents. Both factors were stronger predictors of community participation for permanent compared to seasonal residents. This study adds to the literature on newcomers and long-term residents and their structural and interactional differences.

Nonprofit Hospitals’ Approach to Community Health Needs Assessment

OBJECTIVES We sought a better understanding of how nonprofit hospitals are fulfilling the community health needs assessment (CHNA) provision of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to conduct CHNAs and develop CHNA and implementation strategies reports. METHODS Through an Internet search of an estimated 179 nonprofit hospitals in Texas conducted between December 1, 2013, and January 5, 2014, we identified and reviewed 95 CHNA and implementation strategies reports. We evaluated and scored reports with specific criteria. We analyzed hospital-related and other report characteristics to understand relationships with report quality. RESULTS There was wide-ranging diversity in CHNA approaches and report quality. Consultant-led CHNA processes and collaboration with local health departments were associated with higher-quality reports. CONCLUSIONS At the time of this study, the Internal Revenue Service had not yet issued the final regulations for the CHNA requirement. This provides an opportunity to strengthen the CHNA guidance for the final regulations, clarify the purpose of the assessment and planning process and reports, and better align assessment and planning activities through a public health framework.

Profiling Participative Residents in Western Communities.

Differences between old-timers and newcomers and their effects on community social dimensions have been the object of much research. These studies have shown how extensive in-migration of people with different socioeconomic backgrounds, values, and perspectives contribute to heightened social conflict in some communities. Popular media accounts and some social science research referred to the conflict emerging from these differences as a culture clash. This study examines the effects that different backgrounds, attitudes, and behaviors have on community participation. Here, earlier work on differences in participation levels between seasonal and permanent residents is extended in an attempt to identify structural and interactional characteristics associated with participative citizens regardless of their residential status. A profile of participative residents was found. Knowing these characteristics helps identify people who could bring important and useful insights to local decision-making. These residents make a deliberate choice to purposively engage in community efforts. Such voluntary interaction creates a pro-community environment where needs and solutions are tackled by residents. Additionally, this interactive environment serves as a ground for the reduction of differences among community members. Through this process, community development is achieved, enhancing community well-being.

Community Health Needs Assessment: Potential for Population Health Improvement

Derived from various health care policies and initiatives, the concept of population health has been newly adopted by health care and medicine. In particular, it has been suggested that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act provision that requires nonprofit hospitals to conduct a community health needs assessment (CHNA) and implement strategies to address health priorities has the potential to improve population health. A mixed methods study design was used to examine the potential for population health improvements to occur through the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-mandated nonprofit hospital CHNA and planning processes. Methods involved a 2-phased approach composed of (1) content analysis of 95 CHNA/implementation strategies reports and (2) interviews with key informants, consultants, and community stakeholders involved in CHNA and planning processes. Although this is a great opportunity for the nonprofit hospital assessment and planning processes to influence population health outcomes, the findings from the first 3-year assessment and planning cycle (2011-2013) suggest this is unlikely. As nonprofit hospitals begin the second 3-year assessment and planning cycle, this article offers recommendations to increase the potential for nonprofit hospitals to improve population health. These recommendations include clarifying the purpose of IRS CHNA regulations, engaging community stakeholders in collaborative assessment and planning, understanding disease etiology and identifying and addressing broader determinants of health, adopting a public health assessment and planning model, and emphasizing population health improvement. (Population Health Management 2016;19:178-186).

A Mixed-Methods Approach to Understanding Community Participation in Community Health Needs Assessments.

Context: Nonprofit hospitals are exempt from paying taxes. To maintain this status, they must provide benefit to the community they serve. In an attempt to improve accountability to these communities and the federal government, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 includes a provision that requires all nonprofit hospitals to conduct a community health needs assessment (CHNA) and implement strategies to address identified health priorities every 3 years. This Acts provision, operationalized by a regulation developed and enforced by the Internal Revenue Service, mandates the involvement of public health agencies and other community stakeholders in the completion of the CHNA. Objective: To better understand community participation in nonprofit hospital–directed community health assessment and health improvement planning activities. Design: Using a 2-phased, mixed-methods study design, we (1) conducted content analysis of 95 CHNA/implementation plan reports and (2) interviewed hospital and health system key informants, consultants, and community stakeholders involved in CHNA and planning processes. Community participation was assessed in terms of types of stakeholders involved and the depth of their involvement. Results: Our findings suggest that many hospitals engaged and involved community stakeholders in certain aspects of the assessment process, but very few engaged a broad array of community stakeholder and community members in meaningful participation throughout the CHNA and health improvement planning process. Vast improvements in community participation and collaborative assessment and planning can be made in future CHNAs. Conclusions: On the basis of the findings, recommendations are made for further research. Practice implications include expanding community engagement and participation by stakeholder and activity type and using a common community health improvement model that better aligns hospital CHNA processes and implementation strategies with other organizations and agencies.

International amenity migration: implications for integrated community development opportunities

Amenity migration studies have been predominantly conducted in the global North. Furthermore, few have addressed issues directly associated with community development in the global South. In this study, we intend to fill this gap by examining the ways international amenity migrants and local rural residents interact with each other and engage in community development efforts. Findings from research in Costa Rica suggest that the relationships between members of both groups are mainly superficial, with no signs of the establishment of strong bonds between groups. Additionally, findings indicate that limited integrated efforts between the two types of residents exist, and local community development is primarily led by rural local residents. Suggestions are offered as to why members of both groups fail to establish joint community development efforts, and recommendations for improvements are provided.

Amenity Migration in the New Global Economy: Current Issues and Research Priorities

Drawing from a panel session held in June 2013 at the 19th International Symposium on Society and Resource Management in Estes Park, CO, this article offers a review of the current state of research on amenity migration and calls for future research to more comprehensively address critical gaps in the literature. We highlight five promising avenues for future research on amenity migration: international patterns—both domestic outside the Global North and across national borders, inequality, interdisciplinary investigations, the importance of policy contexts, and the effects of contemporary social, economic, and demographic factors.