Overcoming inertia: increasing public health departments' access to evidence-based information and promoting usage to inform practice.
In 2010, the New England Region-National Network of Libraries of Medicine at University of Massachusetts Medical School received funding to improve information access for public health departments in 6 New England states and Colorado. Public health departments were provided with desktop digital access to licensed e-resources available through special pricing. In January through mid-April 2012, we evaluated the effectiveness of providing access to and training for using e-resources to public health department staff to motivate usage in practice. We found that additional strategies are needed to accomplish this.
Nancy R. LaPelle is with the Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester. Karen Dahlen is an independent consultant based in Fort Collins, CO. Barbara A. Gabella and Ashley L. Juhl are with the Prevention Services Division of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Denver. Elaine Martin is with the Lamar Soutter Library at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
Nancy R
NR
LaPelle
Karen
K
Dahlen
Barbara A
BA
Gabella
Ashley L
AL
Juhl
Elaine
E
Martin
D022126:Access to Information; D003120:Colorado; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007990:Libraries; D009511:New England; D011634:Public Health; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires