I can already tell that being on the Governing Council of the Metropolitan Washington Public Health Association is going to allow me to write on great events and campaigns that impact the health sector. I am making it a personal mission of mine to help bring health education and communication campaigns into the Web 2.0 landscape, making use of the many tools out there.

Recently I was made aware of an awesome project in the works - the MWPHA /DC Fights Back Public Health Video Challenge! In essence, the purpose of this project is to foster creative user generated video submissions that will highlight the importance of addressing the social determinants of disease and how that can positively impact the HIV epidemic in the District of Columbia.

Here are more details:

Eligibility: This contest is open to all interested parties

Contest: The contest will be to produce a two-minute video that shows how
working on one of the following social determinants can positively impact
the District’s HIV epidemic.

1. Jobs- an example might be to capture how programs to provide job
skills training can help empower a person to be less vulnerable to HIV
infection.

2. Housing- an example might be to demonstrate on video how a program
to create stable housing can increase an individual’s ability to make
healthy lifestyle choices or help someone living with HIV to adhere to
treatment

3. Substance Use- an example might be to create a video demonstrating
how harm reduction approaches are effective at reducing negative outcomes
for injection drug users and their communities.

Prize: All winners will be given an award and the chance to screen their
video at the Spring 2009 MWPHA conference. The awards are as follows:

• First place- $100 prize as well as an awards certificate
• Second place- $50 prize as well as an awards certificate
• Third place- $25 prize as well as an awards certificate

Deadlines: all videos must be submitted to our YouTube Channel by October
1st 2008 at http://www.youtube.com/group/mwphadcfb

Judging: Members of the MWPHA Disparities Committee as well as the DCFB
steering committee will do the judging. Judging criteria will be
available on the contest website (soon).

For more information, please contact Alex Lawson at alex.lawson@gmail.com

**Coming Up** –> I will be interviewing Alex Lawson about the campaign and how the idea was brought about as well as some other details on the project. I strongly believe that online video will be an integral part of the Health Communications 2.0 movement!

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For background on the participating organizations [taken from their respective websites]:

Metropolitan Washington Public Health Association (MWPHA) is dedicated to protecting personal, public, and environmental health in the Metropolitan Washington area. The Association is committed to:

• protect and promote personal, public and environmental health,
• study and attempt to resolve health problems,
• meet and share knowledge and experience in order to achieve the organization’s goal,
• provide leadership in public health by initiating and supporting voluntary and governmental action to meet health needs or to remedy health problems, and
• promote continuing educational opportunities for public health and allied workers to help them acquire new or broader knowledge and develop skills to provide more effective health services.

DC Fights Back is an all-volunteer network of people living with HIV/AIDS and their allies working to engage ourselves and our communities in every aspect of HIV advocacy for District residents and to end stigma to ensure the best possible treatment and care for those living with HIV/AIDS and implement the best possible science-based HIV prevention for everybody.

I was recently invited to speak on a webinar panel with distinguished leaders from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and Howard University on getting tested for HIV. The main purpose of the program is to “to heighten awareness and understanding of HIV testing” and encourage this information to be shared throughout the blogosphere.

If you are at all interested in the prevention and elimination of HIV/AIDS, please join us on Tuesday to learn more.

We will be focusing on these questions during the webinar:

• Why should we care about HIV testing?
• Who should get tested for HIV?
• What happens when someone goes to get an HIV test?
• What are some of the reasons people don’t get tested for HIV?
• What are messages about HIV testing we can share with our blog readers?

Please spread the word with the invite here - also check out the main website for more promotional materials. One of the things I mentioned in the last post was about how important it is for us to get a grasp on these new social technologies to use in aiding in the healthy welfare of our society. This session will give some insight into that.

Do you know?

Yesterday morning, I had the great opportunity to attend the State of the Art of New Media in Health Care: Harnessing the Power of Digital Communication and Social Networking Tools conference held at the Newseum in downtown Washington, DC. The event was put on by Amplify Public Affairs, a “next generation in public affairs” firm integrating new media and traditional communications. Now of course the theme of this meeting is right up the alley of what gets covered on Pulse and Signal, so I was definitely happy to be able to attend. The question of how is new media affecting the health care world is popping up more and more, especially with the advent of Google Health, Microsoft’s Health Vault and the various online health social networks. I was eager to hear exactly what the panelists would be talking about - hopefully not just about their companies but to add some real thought to this growing landscape. Here were the people that spoke on the panel (in order of speaking):

» Elisabeth Goodridge, US News & World Report

» Joel Selzer, Ozmosis

» Matt Koll, Revolution Health

» Christopher Fleming, Health Affairs blog

» Ed Fishel, University of Maryland, News Bureau

Below I will touch upon some notes I took while listening to each presenter:

Elisabeth touched on a few items that showed how US News & World Report evolved from just a print publication to one that has integrated several elements of digital media including a list of affiliated bloggers, video, shareable articles and an upcoming widget library with embeddable content. I think one of the last times that I took a good hard look at what the publication could offer, it was when I was selecting colleges to attend. They also have a list of Best Hospitals that is very useful.

Joel has created a very interesting social networking platform for physicians, these include licensed MDs and DOs. A few reasons in which Joel created Ozmosis was because of the steadily increasing patient load for doctors (less time for them to interact with the patient), physicians having little time to find the answers for detailed patient questions and the fact that many physicians were turning to the Internet to locate information - trusted information is the top priority.

Matt spoke about how Revolution Health is transforming how social media is used in the consumer healthcare world. They also own CarePages and HealthTalk - both being focused on community health support. I felt that there was heavy discussion on advertising and business models, so I’m assuming that is where the organization is at this point in their growth. I’m looking forward to see what else comes from Revolution Health in the future.

Christopher also spoke from a once print only publication point of view. The Health Affairs journal, which recently celebrated its 25th year of being in print, has taken steps to embrace social media within its content production. The journal’s blog includes staff and guest bloggers. The staff members generally write about articles already printed in the journal while the guest bloggers create shorter, more advocacy based articles that usually correlate to a health policy issue. As the blog began expanding policy discussions to different areas, it helped to attract readers to the actual journal material. Currently, Chris and the Health Affairs team are looking to increase staff to assist in the growing and maintenance of the blog.

Finally, Ed touched on the changes involved in moving from old media and journalism to adopting new methods of disseminating news and information. I think that this will be an ongoing discussion (and struggle) for some time. Many people still do not see the value of this change in the media landscape but it’s good to know that there are a handful of people in certain professions willing to lead the charge.

Overall, I had a great time and picked up on a few thoughts regarding what exactly might need to be done regarding health communication efforts. It was nice hearing the various voices from different industries speak on what they are accomplishing - I really think that the aspects of Health 2.0 that were presented will be one of many to shape the way we stay healthy.

Last week I came across an interesting organization called the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation, which deals with connecting science and communications for the betterment of consumer health. According to the Foundation’s website:

IFIC’s purpose is to bridge the gap between science and communications by collecting and disseminating scientific information on food safety, nutrition and health and by working with an extensive roster of scientific experts and through partnerships to help translate research into understandable and useful information for opinion leaders and ultimately, consumers.

Last week, IFIC had a webcast going over the findings from their recent 3rd Annual IFIC Foundation Food & Health Survey: Consumer Attitudes Toward Food & Health. You can see the re-broadcast of the webcast here.

I was very happy that I found out about this event because it really opened my eyes up to consumer thoughts on what they were eating. I took a Consumer Behavior class in college while getting my Public Health degree and I learned a ton about what influences our decisions on what we put in our mouths. In an a society where some thing might be good for you one month and detrimental to your health in another, it’s important to look at these trends.

In the health communications world, it is vital to understand what “clicks” with target audiences.  One of the points covered during the webinar was the Food Pyramid - where have YOU seen the MyPyramid chart?

Now what do these results tell you? Especially the last place people have seen it…right, they haven’t. That means we have to do a better job of getting this information out to the general public.  In mid 2005, the new MyPyramid.gov website was launched with intentions to upgrade the aging symbol of what we should eat. Unfortunately, since then, it doesn’t appear that the website has done much in the way of changing minds on nutrition. A great point was made by Andy Carvin on this issue soon after the launching of the website.

However, other messages are becoming relatively clear for many Americans. See below for what I mean:

Maybe we need to take another look at where people are seeing their health information? Those MyPyramid.gov survey results have me thinking about not only the importance of relevant health communications but another interest of mine, in closing the digital divide. What’s the point in having all of these web technologies if the people who need it, don’t get it? Literally and figuratively…

To see more of the slides from the IFIC Foundation Webcast as well as past surveys, check out the website.

Today’s second tip for women’s health has to do with calcium, bone health and osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is a disease that thins and weakens bones to the point where they break easily. Hip, spine (backbone) and wrist bones are often involved. It is called a “silent disease” because bone loss happens without much notice. Having a bone break easily or getting a little shorter is often the first sign of this disease. While osteoporosis can strike at any age, over half of all women over age 65 have it.*

This video, created by Vie Fitness introduces the basics to osteoporosis prevention:

So to recap the ways in which you ladies can prevent osteoporosis:

1. Exercise! (mainly weight bearing activities like walking, low impact aerobics and dancing)
2. Increased calcium and Vitamin D consumption
3. Cut out excessive drinking and smoking
4. Regular checkups with your doctor

*Information from the National Women’s Health Information Center

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI):

“High blood pressure (HBP) affects more than 65 million—or 1 in 3—American adults. HBP often has no warning signs or symptoms. Once it occurs, it usually lasts a lifetime. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to heart and kidney disease, stroke, and blindness.”

This month, take some time out for yourself and get your blood pressure checked.

My grandmother used to tell me “Prevention is better than cure” - it makes sense here. Why wait until a problem occurs?

For more information, check out these resources from NHLBI:

• Your Guide for Lowering High Blood Pressure
• Facts and Detailed Information on High Blood Pressure
• Your Guide to a Healthy Heart (PDF)

I’ve been thinking about this topic for a while now and I just was able to locate a useful piece of media for it. Thanks to Chris Condayan (@csuspect on Twitter) for the video!

Ok, so cough/cold/flu season is technically over you say? That may be true but the information in that video transcends seasons. Remember when your parents told you to cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze? Yeah that sounds polite but can actually be pointless in the prevention of spreading germs if you don’t wash your hands.

With most of us clickity-clackin away on the keyboard at work and manuevering the mouse over the keypad, our hands are frequenting surfaces that we use over and over again. So think about it, if you are at your desk and you sneeze into your hand and continue typing - what do you think is going to happen? The germs are going to be transferred to your keyboard and most likely your mouse as well. And then you shake hands with your co worker, congratulating them on a promotion. And then use the doorknob to leave building. I think you get my point.

Here are a few tips I thought of to help you keep the sniffles away from yourself and others in the workplace as well as your home:

1. Wash your hands frequently. Especially before eating a meal.
2. When coughing or sneezing (especially when you have a cold), do so inside your sleeve, right by your elbow or further above. When you do this, you can just toss your shirt in the laundry and wash those germs away. If you use a piece of Kleenex, still be sure to wash your hands afterward.
3. Have some of those Clorox wipes handy - they are great for wiping down surfaces on your desk and getting rid of any germs hanging around. Might be a good idea to wipe down your keyboard and mouse at the end of each week.
4. Hand sanitizers! Great stuff and alot of them come in tiny dispensers that you can carry around in your pocket or purse. If you can’t wash your hands, this is the next best thing.
5. If you’re sick and sneezing/coughing all over the place, do everyone a favor and stay home. Trying to keep a perfect record (like the guy in the video) quickly turns into “How many other people can I make sick the fastest”. Don’t be that guy/girl.

Coughing into your hands isn’t going to help when you shake someone’s hand in the next 5 minutes. I know this seems like common sense stuff but sometimes we all need a reminder!

I’ve been really excited to learn more about how the Web and it’s growing focus on community has been impacting the realm of health education. Improving the quality of our lives through peer discussion AND the dissemination of professional information is something we need more of in the health landscape - we need to focus on the people.

And that’s what Healia Communities aims to accomplish.

You’re probably already aware of the health information search engine, Healia - this tool has been around for a while and from what I can tell, has been successful in helping individuals find what they need on topics ranging from mental health to weight management.

The Health 2.0 movement is definitely taking notice that individuals aren’t solely seeking doctors for their medical advice. There are plenty of health professionals who are better trained to actually interact with people on deeper community basis and you can find some of them on Healia Communities. This has always been a concern of mine when it comes to health information being twisted and changed - causing people to leave thinking about the wrong concepts. Experts are important, but experts that actually respond is essential, good job Healia.

The personalization aspect of being able to join certain groups that are tailored to your health interests make the site even more effective in that you don’t have to look all over the community to find what you want. Interested in finding out how to get your family to lose weight (similar to a question I put up there)? If you are part of the weight management group, you will most likely see this query and be able to quickly respond. You feel better by offering your own sage advice and the person asking the question now walks away with a smile, feeling encouraged. Win-win situation right?

Healia Communities is about what concerns you.

If you want to connect with me, I’m mindofandre in the community. Oh yeah they also blog regularly about diseases and conditions that you probably want to know about.

ReadWriteWeb also recently did a profile of other communities that deal with community members lending an ear and expertise to one another. The Web is really starting to bring people together for a common good.

So go ahead and join the conversation and meet people who are concerned about the same things you are. What better issue to be concerned about than your health and the well being of others?

Attention Health Educators and Health Communicators! This is for you (us)!

Who’s happy that the weather is warming up? I know I am! Something about sunshine and getting fresh air does wonders for the mind and body.

Before you run outside to enjoy that fresh air, I wanted to talk about a passion of mine and I believe it will revolutionize the way we deal with health. That passion is something many of us engage with on a daily basis – the Internet; more specifically, the emerging social aspects of the Internet. For those of you not familiar with the term social media – let me give a brief description. Social media or new media, has to do with the relatively recent advances in the ways we are able to communicate with each other online. It consists of elements such as blogs, social networks (Myspace, Facebook) and user-generated videos (YouTube, Viddler).

Speaking of video, check this YouTube video that shows actress Jennifer Connelly helping to spread the word about the need of clean water in Africa. Now, if the video gets sent around my friends and family, how far do you think this message will go?

Those new online social tools have completely changed how we interact with each other. Now, with social online communities that are geared toward individuals battling cancer, mental illness or diabetes (www.diabetesmine.com) – the online world has effectively become a well respected and genuine place to connect with like-minded individuals and share information. It is now possible to collaborate with other public health professionals who share your same interests, even if you all are in different parts of the world! Think about the ideas that can be generated, the networking opportunities and the friends that can be made!

Let me ask you a question – the public health/health education industry is about who? Answer: the people. Messages that help reduce the risk of diabetes, prevent the transmission of HIV and even educate the next generation of superstar health professionals, can all be created and disseminated in the online spaces. I believe if more people in the health world took a serious look at harnessing the resources (and increasingly user focused) aspects of the Web and social media, we would see prolific benefits and long lasting results. So go ahead and start exploring – the opportunities are out there!

One of the most pressing public health issues of our times, has been the scourge of HIV/AIDS. The disease - which began to gain notoriety and attention throughout the 1980’s - has crippled the lives of many Americans, most often bringing unwelcome stigmas and lifelong medication treatments.

A particular class I took in college (as a matter of fact, it was the class that brought me from engineering to the public health world), was focused on disease prevention. Among diseases like diabetes and tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS was usually at the top of the list of diseases that needed focused attention to cure/eradicate. Now that we are in the 2000s and in an age of advanced communication, many of the details related to the disease itself - as well as cutting edge research working toward a cure - can be effectively disseminated to the lay audience. For far too long, the darker side of word of mouth communication allowed for incorrect insight into the world of those living with the disease. Now we can change that…

A good example of technology (more specifically the social web) being used to inform the public is the recently launched AIDS.gov blog. AIDS. gov is the official website of the Department of Health and Human Services‘ communication on the HIV/AIDS issue. Their willingness to delve into the social media aspect of communication should be applauded in itself. This is what I’m talking about when I mention thoughts on how social technology can help the health world. Health is about people. How people live, eat and interact…and also learn. The site does a great job of introducing people to the disease and the blog seems to facilitate a way for people to interact with how the government is handling the issue.

This is of course a vulnerable position as there is always the tendency for the public to not always trust government leadership. This is a great step in the right direction. The HIV/AIDS dilemma is a big one - a global one. And from my point of view, problems can be solved faster by having more people truly understand what is at stake.

Bottom line is, as we continue to become more connected, more vocal about what is going on in our lives, it’s important to not only become knowledgeable about these issues but also to provide feedback regarding solutions. Especially in the realm of health - it’s not about what the government can provide, it’s not about a “professional” tackling the problem for us. Our better health future relies on you - it relies on me - to make forward progress. Get educated about health issues that matter to you…and then give back.