Funded Research

E-Learning to support health literacy, health promotion and disease management in community settings

January 2010

By Lynda Atack and Robert Luke

Executive Summary(PDF, 32 MB)
Full report (PDF, 509 KB)

Background

Demographic and technical forces are changing the way Canadians learn about their health. These societal forces require clinicians and educators to change the way they provide patient education. Researchers from Centennial College and George Brown College, partnered with the Keewaytinook Okimakanak Research Institute (KORI) in Northern Ontario, St. Christopher House (SCH), Toronto, and a family health team from the Centre for Effective Practice, Toronto, and a cancer clinic to examine the use of innovative web-based health information sites.

Description

Three models of website health information were introduced at the partner sites: Patients from the Family Health team and clinic were ‘prescribed’ tailored health information on PEPTalk, a site that houses vetted health information, by their doctor or nurse. Community participants from KORI and SCH were directed to PEPTalk and to a locally developed website to obtain health information by the project team and community researchers.

A descriptive study using surveys, interviews and web log data was conducted to determine the impact of these online health literacy resources on community members’ website use, satisfaction and health literacy and health behaviour. The impact of the emerging health information intermediary role on community leaders and physicians’ practice and workload was also explored.

A descriptive study using surveys, interviews and web log data was conducted to determine the impact of these online health literacy resources on community members’ website use, satisfaction and health literacy and health behaviour

Une étude descriptive faisant appel à des enquêtes, des interviews et des blogues a été menée pour déterminer l’impact de ces ressources Internet d’information médicale sur l’utilisation par les membres de la communauté du site Web, la satisfaction, les connaissances médicales et les comportements en matière de santé. L’impact du rôle d’intermédiaire de l’information de santé émergeante sur les leaders communautaires, la pratique et la charge de travail des médecins communautaires a également été à l’étude.