New tools for community involvement in health

This paper explores the question: can the new information technologies(IT) significantly improve community involvement in health,and if so, under what organizational conditions and policies?it outlines first the paths to health, namely, the ways in whichindividuals and organizations both directly and indirectly affecthealth by the ways in which they influence the pre-conditionsand co-conditions for the well-being of individuals and communities.Next, it illustrates how IT can impact each of those paths,emphasizing organizational uses in support of community groups,especially among less-advantaged people. These modes includelifestyle changes, economic capacity-building, health servicesprovision, and community action. Finally it suggest supportivepolicies that would be necessary to promoting positive versusnegative health effects of IT for community populations. Thesepolicies exist in incipient forms in some countries of Europeand less so in North America.