Health Promotion Technology Research Articles

Information technology in health promotion

eHealth, the use of information technology to improve or enable health and health care, has recently been high on the health care development agenda. Given the vivid interest in eHealth, little reference has been made to the use of these technologies in the promotion of health. The aim of this present study was to conduct a review on recent uses of information technology in health promotion through looking at research articles published in peer-reviewed journals. Fifteen relevant journals with issues published between 2003 and June 2005 yielded altogether 1352 articles, 56 of which contained content related to the use of information technology in the context of health promotion. As reflected by this rather small proportion, research on the role of information technology is only starting to emerge. Four broad thematic application areas within health promotion were identified: use of information technology as an intervention medium, use of information technology as a research focus, use of information technology as a research instrument and use of information technology for professional development. In line with this rather instrumental focus, the concepts 'ePromotion of Health' or 'Health ePromotion' would come close to describing the role of information technology in health promotion.

Organizational change--key to capacity building and effective health promotion

Contemporary health promotion is now a well-defined discipline with a strong (albeit diverse) theoretical base, proven technologies (based on program planning) for addressing complex social problems, processes to guide practice and a body of evidence of efficacy and increasingly, effectiveness. Health promotion has evolved principally within the health sector where it is frequently considered optional rather than core business. To maximize effectiveness, quality health promotion technologies and practices need to be adopted as core business by the health sector and by organizations in other sectors. It has proven difficult to develop the infrastructure, workforce and resource base needed to ensure the routine introduction of high-quality health promotion into organizations. Recognizing these problems, this paper explores the use of organizational theory and practice in building the capacity of organizations to design, deliver and evaluate health promotion effectively and efficiently. The paper argues that organizational change is an essential but under-recognized function for the sustainability of health promotion practice and a necessary component of capacity-building frameworks. The interdependence of quality health promotion with organizational change is discussed in this paper through three case studies. While each focused on different aspects of health promotion development, the centrality of organizational change in each of them was striking. This paper draws out elements of organizational change to demonstrate that health promotion specialists and practitioners, wherever they are located, should be building organizational change into both their practice and capacity-building frameworks because without it, effectiveness and sustainability are at risk.

Analysis of An Intervention to Reduce or Prevent Secondary Conditions for People with Spinal Cord Injuries

People with acute spinal cord injuries (SCI) are at risk for developing secondary conditions such as pressure sores, urinary tract infections, pain, weight gain and deconditioning, and depression. This study analyzed the effectiveness of an Internet assessment and feedback tool in determining secondary condition risk for this population based on individual responses to a knowledge and behavioral questionnaire. Seventy-one people with newly-diagnosed SCI who were treated at one of five Model Spinal Cord Injury Systems Centers were randomly assigned to either an experimental condition in which they received computerized feedback and one-on-one consultations based on their online questionnaire answers, or to a control condition in which they received no feedback until the study's completion. One year after the initial assessment, the online questionnaire was re-administered to all participants as a post-test. Three times between the pre- and post-test assessments researchers telephoned participants to administer phone surveys probing secondary condition development. Results indicate there were significant differences among race groups and between complete and incomplete injury status for pressure sore occurrence. This study represents a new era of interactive technology in health promotion that can serve as a basis for future research to decrease secondary condition risk for people with SCI.

Development of a Web-based Emergency Medical Information Service Program for Health Promotion

BACKGROUND: Demand for emergency medical information is high according to the health information use, utilization and demand survey for on the Internet. In spite of high demand for emergency information service, emergency information service on-line and off-line are very limited. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a website providing emergency medical information and emergency medical resources information by linking emergency medicine where timely information is required with the Internet technology for health promotion of the public. OBJECTIVE: This study is conducted to develop and evaluate a Web site to provide information on emergency medicine and resources for health promotion. METHODS: To identify and specify users' requirements for the emergency medicine related information, online survey was performed for 209 Internet users who visited the Healthguide. Based on this survey results, we developed content for emergency medical information service: cause, risk factors, prevention, treatment, facilities, laws and rules, policy and statistics of emergency medicine. To evaluate the web site developed in this study, twenty health and nursing informatics experts were recruited and asked to rate using an evaluation tool. RESULTS: This content was integrated into the healthy life (http://healthguide.kihasa.re.kr/health_life/emergency/pages/index.html), which is a service component of the Healthguide. This approach was expected to increase accessibility and usability of implemented services. The rating score of the website was fairly high with mean 3.9(SD 0.6) out of 5.0. According to each evaluation criteria, purpose of the site, easiness of use, relevancy, and reliability were scored 4.1-4.2 and authority and accuracy 3.8-3.9 and currency 3.5-3.7. This evaluation results will be fed back to the Healthguide for operation, maintenance, and upgrade in the future.

Website Sources for Information on the use of Computer-Based Technology in Health Promotion and Education

Website Sources for Information on the use of Computer-Based Technology in Health Promotion and Education

Exercise prescribing: computer application in older adults.

The purpose of this study was to determine if older adults are capable and willing to interact with a computerized exercise promotion interface and to determine to what extent they accept computer-generated exercise recommendations. Time and requests for assistance were recorded while 34 college-educated volunteers, equal numbers of men and women, ranging in age from 60 to 87, interfaced with a health promotion tool. The computerized exercise promotion tool's ease of use and the acceptability of the exercise recommendations made were rated by the participants. On average, completion of the items on the computer took 33 min and each participant made 3 requests for assistance, of which only 22% were mouse related. The system's ease of use and the exercise prescription acceptability ratings were high and independent of prior experience with computers. User friendliness of computerized health promotion tools will determine if, and how, health providers integrate these new technologies into daily practice. The participants in the study were able to complete the computerized items within a reasonable amount of time and with minimal assistance from the provider. These data support the potential of interactive technology in health promotion among the expanding older population.

Syringe and Needle Exchange to Prevent HIV Infection-Reply

In Reply. —In our article in JAMA we concluded that needle sharing (a term Dr Fernando dislikes) is perpetuated by laws that restrict access to and possession of needles and syringes. We disagree with Fernando's assertion that NEPs undermine progress toward the needed deregulation of injection equipment. Needle-exchange programs have led directly to the relaxation and/or repeal of antiparaphernalia laws in Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, and throughout Australia. Consequently, we think the successful demonstration of syringe exchange will continue to help, not impede, modification of these laws. We likewise question the veracity of Fernando's claim that outreach efforts involving bleach distribution for needle disinfection have already interfered with such progress. Needle exchange, like all health promotion technologies, has limitations and we addressed some of these in our article. Despite these limitations, in our study NEP use was a robust predictor of not sharing needles, and this effect increased with the

Evaluating Health Promotion Technology: Consistency of Results among Health Risk Appraisals

Evaluating Health Promotion Technology: Consistency of Results among Health Risk Appraisals