284969
Health information's role in achieving the right to health
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
: 12:30 p.m. - 12:50 p.m.
Nancy K. Roderer, MLS,
Division of Health Science Informatics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
Objective: To better understand how health information gaps affect the fulfillment of the Right to Health (RH). Background: A RH analysis was applied to themes elicited from Project Accept Thailand qualitative data to determine how health information gaps affect the fulfillment of the RH. Methods: Qualitative research methods (open and focused coding, theme development, memoing and integrative-memoing, conceptual framework construction) were applied to semi-structured in-depth interview transcripts using Atlast.ti and Microsoft Office software. Study sample (n=117) included Thai (n=81) and ethnic minorities (n=36). Data themes elicited were evaluated using the RH criteria (defined by UN documents) of Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability, and Quality to determine the role information plays in achieving the RH. Health information gaps data themes included: Perceived: HIV infection routes and sources, Awareness of ART, ART sources, access and efficacy, and HIV testing/disclosure. Results: Health information gaps existed among study communities due to: lack of information, incomplete information, misinformation, conflicting information, ambiguous information, and disinformation. None of the RH criteria of Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability, and Quality could be achieved in the presence of health information gaps found in the data. In sum, each RH criterion was negatively impacted if health information gaps existed, preventing fulfillment of the RH for any community suffering from unmet health information needs. Conclusion: Health information provision must be available, accurate, unambiguous, clear, complete, and appropriately targeted to learners' specific needs to improve health understanding and reduce health information gaps. Such health information is a critical component to fulfilling the RH for communities.
Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related education
Public health or related research
Learning Objectives:
Assess the role of Health Information for the fulfillment of the Right to Health
Demonstrate how the Right to Health cannot be achieved in the presence of health information gaps
Discuss examples of unmet health information needs preventing achievement of the Right to Health
Keyword(s): Health Information, Human Rights
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the principal investigator of this research project on HIV health information and health behaviors in Northern Thailand for my PhD dissertation research. Among my scientific interests has been human rights issues, health information gaps associated with continued high risk HIV behaviors and obstructing the access to HIV related care.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines,
and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed
in my presentation.
