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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Julie Rae E. Temby, MPH, Lisa K. Gilbert, PhD, and Sarah E. Rogers. Health Promotion and Evaluation, American Social Health Association, P.O. Box 13827, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, 919-361-8420, jultem@ashastd.org
As the public increasingly turns to the Internet for fast, easy and confidential access to health information, health educators confront new challenges in providing targeted health information to an unpredictable audience. Organizational missions and funding source objectives are primary influences on selecting a Web site’s target audience. In reality, however, do we as health educators choose a target audience for our site, or does an audience choose us? Those who provide health information on the Internet must evaluate their Web sites by assessing who is accessing it; how users find it; what information users are looking for; and how effectively the site’s content is addressing user concerns. The American Social Health Association developed an evaluation strategy for its own site (www.iwannaknow.org), which provides sexual health information for adolescents 13 to 17 years of age. Preliminary findings from an online survey of users suggested that the population reached by the site was broader in scope than the initially defined target audience. Significant proportions of users were college aged (about 25%), many older than 24 (including health educators and parents), and another 20% were outside the United States. Other aspects of the site’s audience were explored by this survey, including sexual health risk profile and the type of information sought. Findings will be discussed, as well as implications for public health educators and recommendations for future research.
Learning Objectives: Poster observers will be able to
Keywords: Adolescent Health, Internet
Related Web page: www.iwannaknow.org
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: American Social Health Association
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.