Hey Gang,
The final post! I have to say that I really enjoyed the readings. I learned a lot and took valuable information from each and every week. This weeks reading was awesome, I found it very interesting. Great read to round out our e-portfolio. I believe this day in age we take advantage of the accessibility of technology. Growing up in the early 90’s, technology was minimal, no cell phones, it was rare to know someone with a computer. Now look at the advancements, I am doing my masters “online”. In many different ways society has benefited from the use of technology. Public Health Agencies have used many different means of technological advancements to assist in many different aspects of health promotion. From improvements, promotion and monitor health related issues, technology has assisted in all these areas.
Coming from a person who is taking their masters online, I know first hand the benefits of utilizing technology in our everyday lives. From the reading we learn that Public Health agencies have been using technology for many different avenues. From EHealth interventions to testing for STD’s, ImmunizeCA, surveillance and communication via social media and websites, technology is a huge part of what Public Health uses on a day to day basis. I think the area that I find most useful and that I personally have used is the means of technology for communication. From social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter (which everyone seems to utilize nowadays) the messages can be sent and be sent quickly. Within minutes Public Health can spread word of a outbreak, a warning, a message, anything for that matter. Something that hits home for me is a recent outbreak of Strep- A in Halifax. A high school friend was diagnosed with Strep-A this past week (you may have heard about it), she was just after giving birth to her first child and she was diagnosed with the terrible disease. This hits home for me in a few ways. The young lady was a friend of mine but also my wife is 4 weeks from having our second baby, this is very frightening. I have attached the article from our local news outlet. She is still in bad condition but I hope she is able to overcome such an awful disease. Within minutes of her being diagnosed, there were advisories on social media and media outlets were given direction from public health to advise the public of the horrendous disease. Another story that hits close to home is the young Sackville HIgh boy who died of meningitis last year. Public Health used many different methods to assist in helping the disease from spreading. Visiting schools, passing out information, posting information online and making the public aware through social media the severity of meningitis. I have also attached an artifact regarding that story. I coach basketball at Sackville High School so this was also frightening but I feel like Public Health via many technological means passed on the useful info.
Artifact 1-
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/incredible-new-mom-battles-flesh-eating-disease-days-after-giving-birth-1.4040953
Artifact 2-
