A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF WEBSITES FEATURING INUIT HEALTH INFORMATION

Objectives: The objective of this study was to situate Inuit-oriented websites within the broader context of the ongoing development of health information technologies and suggest ways to optimize the use of the Web to promote health in northern communities. Study design: All websites with "Inuit" and "Health" keywords were identified using standard Internet search methods. Of these, u. were retained for analysis. Literature reviews on emerging and state-of-the-art health information technologies and northern Internet delivery issues were undertaken. Methods: A content analysis grid of close to 4o items was adopted and modified forthe objectives of this study. Each of the sites was reviewed with the grid points. Qualitative notes on specific features of the sites were drawn up. The sites were then compared across each element and conclusions were drawn from that process. Results: All of the websites reviewed suffer from a number of conceptual and information design issues that limit their utility. None of the sites have begun to explore the health potentials of online communities and web 2.0 applications. Conclusions: Opportunities for health promotion and individual empowerment exist in the emerging social spaces of the Web. New health information technologies will need to consider how social and cultural contexts unique to the North interact with people's needs for and consumption of web-based information.