A potential limitation of this study is the small sample size, given the number of independent variables. In addition, further testing of the CRS-S is required as only 22 counties were evaluated selleckchem Paclitaxel using the revised survey. Finally, the survey questions were selected and tested based on data collected in rural Kentucky communities. The findings may not be applicable to other communities with differing culture and values. Future Directions This paper presents the results of the first pilot test of the CRS-S. The tool needs to be refined and tested with advocates from communities in other regions. An area of particular concern is the leadership dimension, which may require revisions in future studies. The scores from the leadership dimension on the CRS-S and the CRS-L had the lowest correlation of all dimensions (.

57) and the largest difference on the paired t test analysis. Future studies could be conducted to further shorten the number of items. The shortened readiness survey has potential to guide rural tobacco control advocates in planning smoke-free campaigns. Readiness assessments can provide valuable insight for community health initiatives (Ogilvie et al., 2008). The online readiness survey has the potential to be embedded into a website, such that advocates could respond to the items and get immediate, stage-based, and tailored interventions in combination with those from other advocates in their community. A plethora of advocacy tools, ranging from evidence-based media advertisements, peer-reviewed articles, branding materials, talking points, and model ordinances, could be automated and tailored for communities, based on their stage of readiness.

For example, if community advocates take the survey and are placed in the ��vague awareness�� category, advocates could receive materials on monitoring indoor air quality. In addition, the online community readiness survey could be tailored for use in other health policy areas. The CRM has been used to examine domestic violence (Brackley et Dacomitinib al., 2003), HIV/AIDS (Jumper-Thurman et al., 2007), and substance abuse (Ogilvie et al., 2008). Conclusions Rural communities are disproportionately affected by high smoking prevalence and weak tobacco control laws. Using the CRM to guide smoke-free policy development has promise in rural communities. The CRS-S is a valid and less time- and resource-intensive alternative to the CRS-L. Future studies need to revise and test the leadership dimension. In addition, the development of an online survey that provides an immediate score to the user would promote greater practical utility to guide smoke-free policy development in rural communities. Funding National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (Award R01HL086450) to EJH, Principal Investigator.