Amy Leader, MPH, DC Department of Health, 825 N. Capitol Street, NE, 3rd Floor, Washington, DC 20002, 202-442-9126, aeleader@gwu.edu, Terry Kind, MD, MPH, Community and Ambulatory Pediatrics, Children's National Medical Center, Children's Health Center at GHR, 2501 Good Hope Rd. SE, Washington, DC 20020, Karin Werner, MPH, Unity Health Care, Inc., 3020 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009, Ed Robinson, Family & Medical Counseling Services, 2041 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20020, and Karyn L. Pomerantz, MLS, MPH, GW School of Public Health & Health Svcs., 2175 K St. NW #716, Washington, DC 20037.

Health Information Partners (HIPS) is a collaboration of community-based organizations that promote quality online health information to residents of Washington, DC. The goal of HIPS is to reduce disparities in access to and use of health information on the Internet, particularly among low-income residents who have limited access to the Internet. HIPS outreach programs utilize community organizing strategies and adult learning principles to teach people how to use and evaluate health information and learn technology skills in community settings and at health centers. Previous data from HIPS showed that while 66 percent of residents surveyed used the Internet to find information, only 6 percent used it regularly to find health information. As part of a community outreach planning process, members of HIPS conducted three focus groups and ten key informant interviews to better understand where residents currently access health information and to tailor future program strategies to meet residents’ needs. Focus groups were comprised of key populations that would benefit from future health information classes, such as those who are HIV positive, current and former substance users, adult learners, teens, and recent immigrants from Central American countries. Key informant interviews were conducted with social workers, community health workers, and public librarians. Qualitative data from both the focus groups and key informant interviews were analyzed for primary and secondary themes about online health information use and access. The themes were then used to guide program planning and community outreach strategies.

Learning Objectives: