Using local health information to promote public health

Local health information can be a powerful vehicle for improving the health of a community. It can highlight both the existence of problems and opportunities for improvement. It can also guide local action in support of policy changes and improve programs' effectiveness. However, efforts to expand the availability and use of local health information face major technical and institutional barriers, as well as health information privacy concerns. This paper provides an overview of current issues surrounding the availability and use of local health information, identifies barriers that hinder its use, and suggests potential solutions.