This qualitative study aimed to identify UK health visitors’
management of information, with particular reference to their public health and
community development activities. Widely recognized concepts, such as
information audit to assess information need and process models of information
management, were applied at operational level to represent health
visitors’ information environment. The naturalistic methodology
included interviews and observation, the use of NUD.IST to aid qualitative data
analysis, and the code and retrieve method to develop theory. The results
highlight information flows, categories of information need, and key issues
relating to health visitors’ information management practice. It is
concluded that the community development work of health visitors can be seen as
information work, and that health visitors can be viewed as
‘information processors’ and ‘information
facilitators’. It is suggested that health visiting requires an
information policy that will inform the development of local information
strategies and effective information management practices.
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