NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN HEALTH RISK APPRAISAL

Health risk appraisal is being accomplished today with the use of new technologies such as the computer, the CD-ROM, and other means of gathering and analyzing data. These new technologies raise significant issues to be addressed in health education as to the use of such technologies, their limitations, and possible future developments of importance to educators. Educators also need to be able to use the various health appraisal protocols now in existence and to know which are the most valuable and which may have special applications. While computers are becoming more important in health education, their value is still limited by the available choices of software in the field, though new programs are being written all the time. Health risk appraisal instruments that have been used without computer assistance are being adapted for computer use and are also being incorporated into programs of computer analysis of data. Health education must take cognizance of these developments and incorporate them into future instruction.

Health risk appraisal has been accomplished through the use of various instruments developed by different bodies and for different specific purposes. Many of these are described by the National Health Information Clearinghouse (1985), showing the type of instrument involved and the type of information each elicits. A number of these have been developed specifically f

. . .
and administration. COMPUTERS AND HEALTH EDUCATION Dorman (1992) notes that the increase in number and availability of computers in the classroom poses a challenge to educators. At present, there are more than 12,000 educational software packages avaialble and more than 2,000 titles added each year, with the result that selecting the proper software can be a daunting task. In addition, much of what is available is of questionable value, with the problems including poor use of graphics, cluttered screens, inadequate documentation, and other technical problems. The Educational Products Information Exchange, a clearinghouse that conducts evaluations of educational products, finds that only about 5 percent of the software on the market can be rated "exemplary," and only one-fourth mets the minimum standards. In health education, there is very little software evaluation in the health education literature, and this adds to the dilemma facing educators trying to determine the appropriate health-related software packages. educators are faced with the task of evaluating each acquisition. Dorman offers the following criteria for evaluating any health-related software package: --Correctness of presentation --Content presentat
. . .

Some common words found in the essay are:
Health Appraisal, EXISTENCE California, Information Exchange, Tan Gorsuch, Pursely Neutens, INTRODUCTION Health, FUNCTIONS Computers, Methodist Hospital, RISK APPRAISAL, Overman Associates, health risk, risk appraisal, health education, health risk appraisal, medical history, computerized health, appraisal program, health appraisal, risk factors, personal health, appraisal health, knowledge causes death, --health risk appraisal, microcomputers health risk, computer-based health risk,
Approximate Word count = 2222
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page)

More Essays on NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN HEALTH RISK APPRAISAL