The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #38509

Liz Nugent, MIA, Partnerships for Health Reform, University Research Corp, 4800 Montgomery Lane, Suite 600, Bethesda, MD 20814, 301 718-3196, liz_nugent@abtassoc.com

Might information flow be one of the most important factors for improving health and development in resource-poor settings? Information underpins the learning, research, and debate that drives a country forward. However, while those in developed countries experience information overload, those in many developing countries barely have library shelves. In an effort to gauge the usefulness of information provided, ascertain the level of connectivity of information users, and establish personal contact and solicit feedback by opening a two-way channel of communication, Partners for Health Reformplus surveyed some 4,300 people worldwide in 2001. Input received has the potential to serve as a compass for prioritizing future communication strategies and widen information access. While the Internet provides one opportunity to narrow the gap and allows users to access what is relevant versus what is provided, information centers must continue to blend technology with traditional sources of information. Certainly, the public can envision information centers without computers, but not information centers without publications and books. What keeps users returning for information is the “value added” the information manager/librarian as infomediary represents. Although the impact of information is notoriously difficult to measure, improvement in access to relevant information as part of an effort to develop more effective health systems is potentially the single most cost-effective approach to sustainable improvement in the delivery of healthcare in the least developed countries. However, enhancing information flow will make no impact on health if projects continue only as long as there is funding.

Learning Objectives:

• List five or more steps to narrow the information gap between resource rich and resource poor settings.
• Outline a plan to establish relay stations or hubs for the aggregation and dissemination of information.
• Articulate the steps for developing a survey to measure the impact of information.

Keywords: Communication, Health Reform

Related Web page: phrproject.com

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.