Seminar to address the role of health informatics in behavior

March 28, 2007

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Modern technology is behind everything research scientists do and it is vital that they effectively apply computer and information technology to real public health problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The Florida Center for Health Promotion will address the importance of utilizing health informatics in research and data classification at 3 p.m. Friday, March 30, in Room 209 of Emerson Alumni Hall.

Scott Olds, professor in the Health Promotion and Education Program at Kent State University, will present his recent findings about the benefits of health informatics during a seminar sponsored by FCHP.

“Informatics is the science of information, its processing, storing and communication,” Olds said. “This presentation will examine these concepts under the umbrella of public health focusing on assuring conditions in which people living in communities can be healthy.”

One of the ways community health can be increased is through health behavior research. Many factors influence behavior and affect the health status of the community. Methods of how to translate the knowledge gained through research into useful information must be examined and understood.

“Using computing and communication technology, we are able to gather, manipulate, store, retrieve and classify information focusing on health education, health promotion and health behavior,” said Jiunn-Jye Sheu, assistant professor and director of the Health Informatics Lab in the College of Health and Human Performance.

Olds said techniques and applications are integral components of the best strategies in research and in health education.

“Health behavior researchers, including those in health education and health promotion, should understand the fundamental principles of informatics in order to optimize their work,” Olds said.