Table 2.

PH Information Need Categories, Examples of Needs and Related Information Source in Two Community Health Bureaus

Information Category	Communicable Disease Control		Community Health Promotion
	Information Need	Source Examples	Information Need	Source Examples
1. Early reports on newly identified health risks and preventive behaviors	Fast breaking news or alerts re: Asian Bird Flu or West Nile Virus	News media ProMed [54] Epi-X [55]	Emerging risks and newly identified behaviors that reduce chronic disease risk (e.g. physical activity)	News media
2. Early reports on new practices and programs	Reports on SARS interventions	Conferences, informal networks, listservs	Promising prevention programs at work sites	Conferences, informal networks, listservs
3. Evaluations of new interventions	Effective STD interventions	STD Advisor (newsletter)	Effective elder health interventions	Conferences, grey literature
4. Reference Information on health risks and practices	Tuberculosis knowledge synthesis	Medical Reference Books, American thoracic Society [56], CDC [57]	Diabetes knowledge synthesis	Medical Reference Books, American Diabetes Assoc. [58], CDC [59]
5. Published articles and reviews	Research articles on communicable disease prevention and control	PubMed [23], journal-specific search engines, TB Update [60]	Research articles on chronic disease prevention and control	PubMed [23], journal-specific search engines
6. Evidence-based guidelines	vaccine safety	Institute of Medicine [61]	Prevention and control of heart disease	AHRQ (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) [62], National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute [63]