Health information's role in achieving the right to health

Objective: To better understand how health information gaps affect the fulfillment of the Right to Health (RH). Background: A RH analysis was applied to themes elicited from Project Accept Thailand qualitative data to determine how health information gaps affect the fulfillment of the RH. Methods: Qualitative research methods (open and focused coding, theme development, memoing and integrative-memoing, conceptual framework construction) were applied to semi-structured in-depth interview transcripts using Atlast.ti and Microsoft Office software. Study sample (n=117) included Thai (n=81) and ethnic minorities (n=36). Data themes elicited were evaluated using the RH criteria (defined by UN documents) of Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability, and Quality to determine the role information plays in achieving the RH. Health information gaps data themes included: Perceived: HIV infection routes and sources, Awareness of ART, ART sources, access and efficacy, and HIV testing/disclosure. Results: Health information gaps existed among study communities due to: lack of information, incomplete information, misinformation, conflicting information, ambiguous information, and disinformation. None of the RH criteria of Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability, and Quality could be achieved in the presence of health information gaps found in the data. In sum, each RH criterion was negatively impacted if health information gaps existed, preventing fulfillment of the RH for any community suffering from unmet health information needs. Conclusion: Health information provision must be available, accurate, unambiguous, clear, complete, and appropriately targeted to learners' specific needs to improve health understanding and reduce health information gaps. Such health information is a critical component to fulfilling the RH for communities.