[Evaluation of a system to feedback information on Public Health: the experience of Area 2 of the Community of Madrid].
BACKGROUND
In January 2000 the Public Health Service of Area 2, in the Region of Madrid, began to publish a weekly sheet on epidemiological and public health information (HISP) addressed to health professionals working in the Area. The aim of the present study was to estimate to how extend the "HISP" was known among health professionals of Area 2, and also to estimate the suitability and usefulness of its contents, during 2000.


METHODS
A postal survey was carried out among a random sample of professionals working in Area 2. A descriptive analysis of main variables was done, variables associated to the knowledge of the "HISP" were investigated. Epi Info 2000 program was used for the analysis.


RESULTS
The response rate was 79.7%. The best evaluated content was that related to epidemic outbreaks. An association between knowing the "HISP" and knowing the regional epidemiological bulletin (Boletin Epidemiológico de la Comunidad de Madrid) was found (OR = 9.3, IC 95% = 2.9-29.5), and also an association between knowing the "HISP" and being a physician (OR = 4.3, IC: 1.5-12.6, p = 0.005).


CONCLUSIONS
The "HISP" has a good acceptance among health professionals of Area 2. They were more interested in contents related to stressful situations. It is necessary to improve the diffusion of information on public health among nursing professionals.
Arias Bohigas
Pedro
P
Programa de Epidemiología Aplicada de Campo (PEAC), Centro Nacional de Epidemiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid. p.arias@madrid.org
Fernández de la Hoz
Karoline
K
Domínguez Berjón
Felicitas
F
Noguerales de la Obra
Rosa
R
Herrera Guibert
Dionisio
D
Martínez Navarro
Ferrán
F
D004813:Epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D010506:Periodicals as Topic; D011634:Public Health; D013030:Spain