Abstract
Need and want analysis for public health information servicesThe purpose of this study is to explore the needs and wants of nine target groups in using health information : the massmedia practitioner, the public health personnel, the teacher, the housewife, the factory worker, the community leader, the teenager, the working adult, and the elder. The study employed the qualitative research method. The data was colleccted by the technique of in-depth interviews and small focus-groups access 745 key informants who were members of nine target groups and lived in Bangkok and Chiengmai. The results of the study were as follows : 1.All nine target groups felt more the need for health information concerning various types of deseases than for of health information concerning good health. 2.The finding indicated different purposes using health information among the nine groups. The mass media practitioner, public health personnel and the teacher used health information for their professions. The houswife's purpose was to both take care of herself and others in the household. The teenager and the elder used the information just for themselves. The working adult and the factory worker did not pay much attention to health information. The community leader was the only group which wanted to develop their capacity to use health information.3.The importance of needs and wants in using health information depended on the relationship that one has to the care of others ; for example, nurses have to take are of patients, teachers have to teach students, housewives have to take care other people in the family. 4.The proper way to respons to the needs for health information is to start first by creating attention/interest in health information. Then, by using the communication strategies which are compatiable with the target group, to associate the information with their previous understanding. It is important as well to use the medium as which target groups indicated as their preferred source of health information.
