Health Communication Insights, published by The Health Communication Partnership (HCP), aims to explore issues related to advances in strategic health communication. This June 2004 issue is the premier issue and focuses on the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) by health communication programmes in the developing world. Health Communication Insights is published one or two times a year.

According to the author, Andrew Maxfied, ICTs offer the next wave of innovation for those implementing programmes in the field, according to the report. ICTs include the internet, the mobile web, personal digital assistants like palm pilots, and short message services or "text messaging."

"Growing evidence demonstrates that ICTs can make a significant contribution to public health under the right conditions."

Maxfield notes the "digital divide" between technologies available in the West and those available in developing countries, but says despite the divide, ICTs can help health communication programmes achieve their objectives "because the divide is not as simple as it may appear."

For example, Internet access in the developing world is growing not as a result of individuals buying computers and accessing the Internet via a fixed phone line. In the developing world, community access points -such as telecentres, cybercafes, and community kiosks - provide the link to the Internet for most people.

Table of Contents

• Preface
• Executive Summary
• Chapter 1: ICT Overview
  • The Internet
    • Connecting to the Internet
    • Barriers
    • Growth of the Internet
    • Community Access Points
  • Wireless Telephony and the Mobile Internet
  • ICTs and Health
• Chapter 2: ICTs and Health Communication Theory
  • Health Opinion Leadership
  • Social Capital and Health Cyber Networks
  • Collective Action and Advocacy Networks
  • Interactive Health Communication
• Chapter 3: ICT Strategies and Applications
  • ICT Strategies
    • ICTs as a Synergistic Channel
    • ICTs for Sustainability and Capacity Building
  • ICT Applications
  • Assessing ICT Applications
• Chapter 4: Using ICTs in the Field
  • Designing and Developing ICT Applications
  • Potential ICT Applications
  • ICT Applications in Health Communication Programs
• Conclusion
• References

Click here to download this publication in PDF format [21 MB].

Click here to read a related summary of this article in the "Strategic Thinking" section.