Overcoming inertia: increasing public health departments' access to evidence-based information and promoting usage to inform practice

Am J Public Health. 2014 Jan;104(1):77-80. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301404. Epub 2013 Nov 14.

Abstract

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.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Access to Information*
  • Colorado
  • Evidence-Based Practice*
  • Focus Groups
  • Humans
  • Interviews as Topic
  • Libraries
  • New England
  • Public Health*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires