[Evaluation of the Health Observatory of Asturias (Spain): web and social network metrics and health professionals' opinions].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the Health Observatory of Asturias (Observatorio de Salud de Asturias [OBSA]), which collects and disseminates health data from Asturias through a website and social networks.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted between 2012 and 2013. The study included a process evaluation that analyzed the reach of the OBSA's website, Facebook and Twitter accounts through web metrics and the use made by health professionals in Asturias of these media. Satisfaction was assessed through an online questionnaire. To estimate the potential effects of the OBSA, the study also included an evaluation of the results with a non-experimental design.


RESULTS
The total number of visits to the website increased in 2012, with more than 37,000 visits. The questionnaire (n=43) showed that 72.1% of the health professionals knew of the OBSA and that 81.5% of them had used it. Most health professionals reported they were satisfied with the OBSA and believed that it encouraged cooperation among professionals (51.6%).


CONCLUSIONS
The OBSA is known and consulted by most health professionals and is achieving some of its main objectives: to inform health staff and stimulate discussion. According to the results, information and communication technologies could play an important role in the presentation of health data in a more interactive and accessible way.
Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut, Universidad Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, España.
Cristina
C
Casajuana Kögel
Observatorio de Salud de Asturias, Dirección General de Salud Pública, Consejería de Sanidad del Gobierno del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, España.
Rafael
R
Cofiño
Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Barcelona, España; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), España; Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), Barcelona, España. Electronic address: mjlopez@aspb.cat.
María José
MJ
López
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011634:Public Health; D061108:Social Media / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Evaluación; Evaluation; Gestión de la información en salud; Health information management; Internet; Medios de comunicación sociales; Social media