Brochure 2 Blog: Public Health Communication for a New Age Documentary and Online Exercise

Background:
Technology and the internet have changed the world. The internet has revolutionized the way people interact with information. The health consumer actively participates in getting information for their own well-being. This new paradigm shift pushes us to reassess how public health delivers information to communities. Budget cuts present challenges to public health, and the internet offers economic and effective ways to continue efforts. With 50% of consumers seeking health information online, new strategies are needed to meet this demand in how people seek and receive immunization-related information.

Setting:
Health departments, clinics, community-based organizations, universities, online, and virtual spaces

Population:
Health Educators, Immunization Coordinators, Public Information Officers, and other Public Health Professionals

Project Description:
The California Dept. of Public Health, Immunization Branch produced a webcast documentary and online training exercise focusing on immunization, that illuminates ways that new media has changed how public health professionals promote health, and offers strategies on how to use technology to conduct effective interventions. The webcast documentary and online training exercise allowed participants to (1) Tell the story of how technology has changed public health communication, (2) Describe at least two technologies that public health professionals can use to help them be more effective in their work and (3) Describe at least two current examples of public health professionals applying new technologies to enhance the work that they do.

Results/Lessons Learned:
On May 8, 2008, 576 public health educators across the world watched the documentary and participated in the online exercise. A pre and post survey was conducted to measure participant's knowledge and attitudes towards technology and the changing health consumer. Overall, the data showed that the participants increased their knowledge, attitudes and behaviors around the use of technology in public health practice.