Approaching equity in consumer health information delivery: NetWellness.

The growing public interest in health and wellness information stems from many sources, including social changes related to consumers' rights and women's health movements, and economic changes brought about by the managed health care revolution. Public, hospital, and medical center libraries have been ill-equipped to meet the increasing need for consumer-oriented materials, even though a few notable programs have been established. The "Information Superhighway" could be an effective tool for sharing health information if access to telecomputing equipment and training were available to those with an information need. The University of Cincinnati Medical Center, with its libraries in the leading role, is delivering NetWellness, an electronic consumer health library service, to residents of 29 counties in three midwestern states. Users connect directly through the Internet, through regional Free-Nets, and by visiting one of 43 public access sites where networked workstations have been installed. The continued success of the project depends on developing partnerships, providing quality content and maintaining fair access.

Nursing the community in cyberspace.

As nursing expands more into the community, the role of health promotion is finding its way on the information superhighway. Through NetWellness, nursing faculty experts at the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing and Health are providing health care information via the internet. Not only is the world wide web a site of their nursing practice, but also faculty are identifying new linkages to add to the College's curriculum.