Public Health Website Resources

Website: NPIN (National Prevention Information Network) Web Tools (http://www.cdcnpin.org/scripts/webtools/index.asp)

Review:
The web tools section of the NPIN site contains widgets, images, and e-cards that are free to be used on websites. The code is located next to the image for you to copy and insert into the body of your web page. The tools cover mainly HIV/AIDS, STDs, and TB. There are also links to other sites that provide free web tools.

The site is quite easy to use, you simply copy the code next to the widget you want to insert in your web page, insert it, and the widget is ready to use.You can either scroll down on long list of the tools with the code or use the links at the top to navigate to the various sections.

In terms of public health messaging, there are widgets that help identify the location of the nearest testing site. If your web page is promoting testing, these could be excellent tools to help your audience find sites. Some of them use a zip code search and others illustrate how to use a text messaging service to retrieve the information. Different widgets focus on different target audiences, so you can select the one that best fits your needs. Some examples are young women, Spanish speakers, and African Americans.

Similar Websites: 

Public Health Emergency (PHE) Widgets Library - http://phe.gov/widgets/Pages/default.aspx
CDC Widgets and Gadgets - http://www.cdc.gov/widgets/
Widgets from NIH - http://www.nih.gov/widgets.htm

Infographics

Tool:  easel.ly (http://www.easel.ly/)

Review:
Easel.ly can be used to create infographics. You need to register for a free account to get started. The site has a number of templates you can use, or you can choose to begin with a blank canvas.

It's very easy to get started, but I found it difficult to find images I wanted to use to convey my message. The number of images provided is minimal. Also, there many public infographics that can be used as templates, but there is no way to search them. It's very cumbersome scrolling through everything to get design ideas.


Recommended use for public health messaging:
Infographics are great for visually representing data. They can be used to visually convey statistical information that may be difficult to grasp in written format, such as disease rates. The visual aspect of infographics helps capture ones attention when communicating vital safety information such as what to do during a tornado or showing proper car seat use.


Example of an infographic:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/easel.ly/all_easels/412146/MemoryBoosters/image.jpg

Similar Tools:
Venngage http://venngage.com
infogr.am http://infogr.am/
 

Blog Review, Public Health Blogs (MPH O786)

Tool: Blogger (http://blogger.com)

Review:

Blogger can be used to quickly an easily set up a blog. All you need to get started is a google account. You assign your blog a name and url (provided it isn't already in use by someone else), pick a template, and you're ready to go. Blogger is also available as an app for iOS and Android making posting to your blog from your tablet or smart phone easy and seamless.

The set up was extremely simple. I went to blogger.com, logged in to my google account, and had my blog set up with just a few clicks.

Recommended Use for Public Health Messaging:

Blogs can be used to reach large numbers of people, so they are a good choice for disseminating information to a large audience. Anything could be posted from reminders of upcoming health events, like car seat checks or health fairs, to new services or new research that might be changing the health care field. 

Similar Tools:

WordPress http://wordpress.com

Blog.com http://blog.com