Information management in health visitors' public health and community development activities

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.