Public health professionals in the Midwest: a profile of connectivity and information technology skills

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess Internet connections and in formation technology skills of public health workers in the Midwest. Methods: A questionnaire was mailed to 713 local health departments (LHDs) in the ten states of the Greater Midwest Region. Results: Three hundred forty-four LHDs (48%) responded. Overall, 85% own a computer that would allow Internet access. Half provide Internet access to some or all staff. Of these, two-thirds use e-mail and half search the Web. One-half are linked to the State Health Department, and 30% are linked to other local health departments. Over half use CDC-Wonder; less than 20% sea rch MEDLINE. Two-thirds of the respondents expressed an interest in MEDLINE training, and three-fourths are interested in learning more about the Inte rnet. Sixty-nine percent of respondents planned to enhance electronic commu nication capacity within the next year. Conclusions: Public health practitioners need timely, convenient access to information to aid them in improving the health of the American public. A m ajority of public health departments in the Midwest are technically capable of connecting to the Internet. This technological capability, combined wit h an expressed desire by public health agencies to have workers become comp uter literate, suggests an important role for health sciences librarians.