TY - JOUR
T1 - Public Health and Epidemiology Informatics
T2 - Recent Research and Trends in the United States
AU - Dixon, B. E.
AU - Kharrazi, H.
AU - Lehmann, H. P.
PY - 2015/8/13
Y1 - 2015/8/13
N2 - OBJECTIVES: To survey advances in public health and epidemiology informatics over the past three years.METHODS: We conducted a review of English-language research works conducted in the domain of public health informatics (PHI), and published in MEDLINE between January 2012 and December 2014, where information and communication technology (ICT) was a primary subject, or a main component of the study methodology. Selected articles were synthesized using a thematic analysis using the Essential Services of Public Health as a typology.RESULTS: Based on themes that emerged, we organized the advances into a model where applications that support the Essential Services are, in turn, supported by a socio-technical infrastructure that relies on government policies and ethical principles. That infrastructure, in turn, depends upon education and training of the public health workforce, development that creates novel or adapts existing infrastructure, and research that evaluates the success of the infrastructure. Finally, the persistence and growth of infrastructure depends on financial sustainability.CONCLUSIONS: Public health informatics is a field that is growing in breadth, depth, and complexity. Several Essential Services have benefited from informatics, notably, "Monitor Health," "Diagnose & Investigate," and "Evaluate." Yet many Essential Services still have not yet benefited from advances such as maturing electronic health record systems, interoperability amongst health information systems, analytics for population health management, use of social media among consumers, and educational certification in clinical informatics. There is much work to be done to further advance the science of PHI as well as its impact on public health practice.
AB - OBJECTIVES: To survey advances in public health and epidemiology informatics over the past three years.METHODS: We conducted a review of English-language research works conducted in the domain of public health informatics (PHI), and published in MEDLINE between January 2012 and December 2014, where information and communication technology (ICT) was a primary subject, or a main component of the study methodology. Selected articles were synthesized using a thematic analysis using the Essential Services of Public Health as a typology.RESULTS: Based on themes that emerged, we organized the advances into a model where applications that support the Essential Services are, in turn, supported by a socio-technical infrastructure that relies on government policies and ethical principles. That infrastructure, in turn, depends upon education and training of the public health workforce, development that creates novel or adapts existing infrastructure, and research that evaluates the success of the infrastructure. Finally, the persistence and growth of infrastructure depends on financial sustainability.CONCLUSIONS: Public health informatics is a field that is growing in breadth, depth, and complexity. Several Essential Services have benefited from informatics, notably, "Monitor Health," "Diagnose & Investigate," and "Evaluate." Yet many Essential Services still have not yet benefited from advances such as maturing electronic health record systems, interoperability amongst health information systems, analytics for population health management, use of social media among consumers, and educational certification in clinical informatics. There is much work to be done to further advance the science of PHI as well as its impact on public health practice.
KW - Epidemiology
KW - Public Health Informatics
KW - disease outbreaks
KW - health services needs and demand
KW - public health practice
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85006744737&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85006744737&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.15265/IY-2015-012
DO - 10.15265/IY-2015-012
M3 - Review article
C2 - 26293869
AN - SCOPUS:85006744737
SN - 0943-4747
VL - 10
SP - 199
EP - 206
JO - Yearbook of medical informatics
JF - Yearbook of medical informatics
IS - 1
ER -