178342 An evaluation of the Wellness Information Zone Project

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Richard W. Wilson, DHSc, MPH , Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences, Louisville, KY
Virginia K. Judd , Executive Director, Humana Foundation, Louisville, KY
Background

There is a significant need to strengthen dissemination of accurate health information to individuals and communities. While health information is widely available in society, it is often not strategically targeted nor disseminated in a comprehensive way. In addition, much health information received by consumers is false, misleading, or dated. This presentation reports on a project to enhance the health information resources available to communities with the application of technology tools.

Objective/purpose

The purpose of the project is to improve the connection between people and health information, and as a result, improve health status. The Humana Foundation created the project and is partnering with Libraries for the Future, the National Center for Family Literacy, and the Clear Language Group. The strategy is to develop and evaluate a health information website supported by library- and non-profit-based computer centers staffed by trained personnel.

Methods

The project has two basic components: 1) develop a health information web site in a collaboration between health information specialists, web site designers, and librarians; 2) establish public facilities with computers and print materials, supported by librarians and volunteers trained to help users find reliable web-based health information. The project was initiated in the metro Atlanta region, including eight individual libraries and one non-profit organization.

Results

The website was developed in an evolving process of expert analysis and consumer feedback. The site is being progressively modified to address the health information needs of diverse ages, cultures, and literacy levels. The library sites were initiated in September 2007. Process and impact data continue to be gathered. Methods of data collection include key informant interviews, focus groups, and technological monitoring of resource usage.

Discussion/conclusions

The ongoing success and challenges of this project will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:
By the end of the session, the participant will be able to: 1. cite examples of web-based health information resources associated with local facilities; 2. examine the evolution of the project website from a medical model to a health education model with special emphasis on the low-literacy population; 3. outline an approach to evaluating a web-based health resource in a local library system; 4. summarize process and impact evaluation findings from the study of a web-based health resource in a local library system.

Keywords: Health Information, Technology

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the designated evaluator of the project which will be discussed in the presentation.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Enhancing Public Health Initiatives Globally in IT
See more of: Health Informatics Information Technology