Objectives: The purpose of this study is to assess the needs and attitudes of the Utah Department of Health employees in relation to online training for use of on-line public health resources. Methods: Design: A web-based survey was used to collect data for this study. The respondents received an email that directed them to a web-based survey. Measurements & Population: Department of Health employees across the State of Utah completed the survey. Emails were sent out to an estimated 1200 employees for this survey. An estimated 90% of the employees have access to email and the Internet. Results: A total of 151 respondents produced a 13% response rate. Over 88.4% felt an adequate or high comfort level using the Internet. Over 87% percent felt they would benefit from Medline use training. Over 94% felt they would use articles from Medline if they were free. Interestingly enough only 2.0% of respondents use CDC Wonder regularly and 85.3% had never used Wonder. Only 16.8% use the CDC website regularly and 34.9% have never used the website. Over 87% believe the training will benefit them. Conclusion: Other survey results warrant further investigation including those with clerical jobs had responded with a high comfort level with the Internet. Those with the low levels of Internet comfort indicate they are more likely to believe this training would benefit them professionally. Even with the low numbers this study shows both a need and a positive attitude for on-line public health resource training.
Learning Objectives: Cover basics of on-line surveys with the stengths and limitations Create an active dialogue on methods for training of public health workers and creating methods that fit their needs and attitudes
Keywords: Internet Tools, Education
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Department of Health, State of Utah
Eccles Health Sciences Library, University of Utah
National Library of Medicine Medline
CDC Wonder
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: The State Health Department is paying me as a consultant on aanother multimedia public health training project that I will use for my dissertation.