5153.0: Wednesday, November 15, 2000 - Board 9

Abstract #16307

Motivators, Barriers, and Overall Use of Internet Technology among Health Educators

Paula Lyn Perlmutter, MPHcandidate, Jane Ellery, MA, and Kelli McCormack Brown, PhD, CHES. College of Public Health, Department of Community and Family Health, University of South Florida, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, MDC 56, Tampa, FL 33612, 813-933-4521, pperlmut@hsc.usf.edu

The use of the Internet for educational purposes plays an important role in health education. Health educators can use the Internet, not only as a valuable information resource, but also as the foundation for enhanced health education programs. The primary objective of the study was to identify the current Internet practices, attitudes, and behavioral intentions, and to identify effective strategies for promoting the use of the Internet among health educators including, but not limited to, Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES). The questionnaire was administered in accordance with the Total Design Method using both the U.S. Postal Service and electronic mail as the means of delivering the survey. Using the Total Design Method has been show to increase response rates. To date, there is a dearth of information with the health education profession regarding Internet use, motivators, barriers, and strategies to successful use. The Internet use questionnaire was administered in accordance with the Total Design Method (Dillman, 1978). The sample was randomly generated using a computer generated random table of numbers. The simple random sample method was used without replacement (McDermott & Sarvela, 1999). Based on the original random sample, participants were randomly placed into two categories: e-mail method or delivery or U.S. Postal Service method of delivery. Results regarding current Internet practices, attitudes, and behavioral intentions, and to identify effective strategies for promoting the use of the Internet among health educators will be presented, as well as implications for the health education profession.

Learning Objectives: 1) To understand current technology use among health educators 2) To understand factors that motivate and deter Internet technology use 3) To identify strategies for promoting Internet use among health professionals

Keywords: Internet,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

The 128th Annual Meeting of APHA