Health information imperatives for Third World countries

Osiobe, Stephen A.

doi:10.1016/0277-9536(89)90299-2

Cited by 15 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…One of the most significant and substantive bodies of research has evolved around health information and poverty, in recognition of the role that information can play in enhancing health outcomes: such work has been carried out by health researchers and practitioners and by those working in LIS. Osiobe as early as 1989 set out health information imperatives for third world countries, noting that ‘the legacy of the oral tradition in most Third World countries has impeded the recognition of the pivotal role of information in the everyday life of modern people’ (Osiobe, 1989: 9. The author argues that health professionals themselves must be better educated about the information resources that exist in a broad range of health contexts and that ‘the near absence of health information has allowed quacks and quackery … to flourish in the Third World’ countries which have ‘near to zero health information systems’ (p.10–11).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eradicating information poverty: An agenda for research

Marcella

Chowdhury

2018

Journal of Librarianship and Information Science

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Information poverty remains a critical issue for societies today. The literature of information poverty is reviewed tracking its origins in library and information science and the various approaches that have been taken to tackling information poverty, including international development programmes such as the Global Libraries Initiative, working response to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, the importance of access to health information and so on. The paper sets out themes that emerged in a roundtable discussion of library and information science academics in 2017. Discussion centred on: definitions of information poverty which reflect the wide variety of ways in which it is possible to be information poor; literacy and information literacy; the ways in which information can reduce poverty and disadvantage; library and information science initiatives to tackle information poverty; and information poverty in the context of social justice. The group agreed that there was a major piece of work to be done in reframing the library and information science discipline in terms of information poverty. Four key dimensions of information poverty for collaborative future research are: (1) information as an agent to eradicate poverty; (2) the causal factors resulting in information poverty; (3) creation and production activities to combat information poverty; and (4) better understanding of areas of extreme disadvantage and aspects of information need. A list of the key causal factors in creating information poverty which came out of the discussion is presented. Further research initiatives are underway for setting up a partnership/consortium that would lay the foundations for a multidisciplinary network on information poverty, sharing expertise internationally.

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Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eradicating information poverty: An agenda for research

Marcella

Chowdhury

2018

Journal of Librarianship and Information Science

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“…Accurate health information is the cornerstone of effective decision-making and reliable assessment of disease burden and resource needs [ 1 - 3 ]. Efforts to tackle the enormous burden of ill-health in low-income countries are hampered by the lack of functioning health information structures to provide reliable health statistics [ 4 - 10 ]. Central to a fully operational Health Information Systems (HIS) is a basic inventory of all functioning health facilities and the services they provide.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A spatial national health facility database for public health sector planning in Kenya in 2008

et al. 2009

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BackgroundEfforts to tackle the enormous burden of ill-health in low-income countries are hampered by weak health information infrastructures that do not support appropriate planning and resource allocation. For health information systems to function well, a reliable inventory of health service providers is critical. The spatial referencing of service providers to allow their representation in a geographic information system is vital if the full planning potential of such data is to be realized.MethodsA disparate series of contemporary lists of health service providers were used to update a public health facility database of Kenya last compiled in 2003. These new lists were derived primarily through the national distribution of antimalarial and antiretroviral commodities since 2006. A combination of methods, including global positioning systems, was used to map service providers. These spatially-referenced data were combined with high-resolution population maps to analyze disparity in geographic access to public health care.FindingsThe updated 2008 database contained 5,334 public health facilities (67% ministry of health; 28% mission and nongovernmental organizations; 2% local authorities; and 3% employers and other ministries). This represented an overall increase of 1,862 facilities compared to 2003. Most of the additional facilities belonged to the ministry of health (79%) and the majority were dispensaries (91%). 93% of the health facilities were spatially referenced, 38% using global positioning systems compared to 21% in 2003. 89% of the population was within 5 km Euclidean distance to a public health facility in 2008 compared to 71% in 2003. Over 80% of the population outside 5 km of public health service providers was in the sparsely settled pastoralist areas of the country.ConclusionWe have shown that, with concerted effort, a relatively complete inventory of mapped health services is possible with enormous potential for improving planning. Expansion in public health care in Kenya has resulted in significant increases in geographic access although several areas of the country need further improvements. This information is key to future planning and with this paper we have released the digital spatial database in the public domain to assist the Kenyan Government and its partners in the health sector.

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“…We do know from the literature and from experience that the provision of current information for health professionals in some African countries is a challenge (Osiobe 1989;Addo 1996). We know that where there are libraries, there are budgetary constraints that make it impossible to get the latest books and journals.…”

Section: Enhance the Skills And Knowledge Of Health Care Providers Through Providing Relevant Informationmentioning

confidence: 99%

ICT and Health Information in Botswana: towards the Millennium Development Goals

Moahi

2009

Information Development

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This paper provides an overview of activities and initiatives under way in Botswana that aim to improve the provision and management of information in the health sector. Many of these initiatives are based on the use of ICTs. The paper considers the role that ICT plays in ensuring that health information is provided to health workers and consumers in support of the three health related Millennium Development Goals (reducing child mortality; improving maternal health; and combating HIV/AIDS and malaria). The paper outlines these initiatives and considers whether there is more that needs to be done to ensure that health information is well managed and reaches those it should reach, at the right time and in the right form.

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Health information imperatives for Third World countries

Cited by 15 publications

References 10 publications

Eradicating information poverty: An agenda for research

Eradicating information poverty: An agenda for research

A spatial national health facility database for public health sector planning in Kenya in 2008

ICT and Health Information in Botswana: towards the Millennium Development Goals

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