The NHF Information Services team has a programme of research into Public Health Information. Our research covers areas including:
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Health informatics
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Bibliometrics
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Information systems and dissemination
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Information needs of public health practitioners.
Find information here about our Current Projects and search our publications using the directory below (scroll to the bottom of the page). You can also read about our Past Projects.
Current projects
Information needs and web portal development research supporting Public Health England
The National Heart Forum has worked in collaboration with the Public Health England Transition Team to carry out a 2 part information needs assessment seeking on the requirements and priorities for how web-based public health resources could be made more accessible to public health professionals, and what new tools or best practice approaches should be taken forward to promote public health at all levels within the future health and care system. The PHE Transition Team are working with the Department of Health to plan and prepare for PHE to take on its full range of public health responsibilities from April 2013. This research will form part of the PHE Transition Team’s engagement work, along with focus groups, workshops and continued dialogue with partners.
Part 1
Part 1 of this project comprised an online survey which ran from December 2011 to January 2012.
Full details of the survey report are now available, and can be downloaded below:
Main report (including executive summary)
Appendix A: Survey questions
Appendix B: Audience information
Appendix C: Survey invitation email
Appendix D: Screenshots of online communities
Appendix E: Additional narrative responses
Appendix F: Results by organisation
Appendix G: Results by job title
Part 2
Part 2 of this project comprised a series of one to one interviews with public health practitioners who have completed the survey in part 1 and consented to be contacted for the second part of the research. Using the qualitative data collected from the interviews, a series of information profiles for different types of public health practitioner were created.
A brief report on this part of the project, and PDFs of the information profiles created are now available and can be downloaded below:
Full report: Report and appendices in one (PDF: 2.71MB)
Report (report only)
Appendix A: Interview questions
Appendix B: Profile 1 - Consultant in public health
Appendix C: Profile 2 - Joint commissioner
Appendix D: Profile 3 - Head of public health intelligence
Appendix E: Profile 4 - Policy lead
Appendix F: Profile 5 - Director of public health
Appendix G: Profile 6 - Head of partnerships for social care and housing
Appendix H: Profile 7 - Policy researcher
Literature review: Information needs analysis and information solutions for public health practitioners
The National Heart Forum has carried out a literature review looking at the information needs of public health practitioners and the solutions that have been presented to address those needs. This research has allowed us to identify both gaps in information provision for public health practitioners, and gaps in our knowledge of the information needs of public health practitioners, particularly for specialists in the chronic disease and policy areas.
During the process of our review we have produced two matrices displaying the published literature in this area. These matrices are available for download below:
