Have you subscribed to the Kids and Womens Health RSS feeds yet? Ok, I know that is a mouth full but CDC has done a great job of breaking down the mystic mumble jumble around RSS feeds. Here is their simple explanation.
What Is an RSS Reader?
An RSS reader is a small software program that collects and displays RSS feeds. It allows you to scan headlines from a number of news sources in a central location.
Where Can I Get an RSS Reader?
There are many RSS news readers (also called aggregators) available for download from the Internet. CDC does not endorse any particular reader. Some browsers such as the current versions of Firefox and Safari as well as some portals like Yahoo offer RSS services for their subscribers. Here is a listing of some feed readers and news aggregators.* Some are free to download and others are available for purchase.
How Do I Use RSS Feeds?
The first step is to choose an RSS reader. Each reader has a slightly different way of adding a new feed, also called a “channel.” Follow the directions for your reader but, in most cases, here’s how it works:
* Click on the link or more likely, the small XML button near the feed you want. Once you do so, you will see a page displaying XML code.
Example: Office of Communication Media Relations XML language icon
* From your web browser’s address bar, copy the URL (web address). For example, the URL you would copy for the Media Relations news is: http://www.cdc.gov/media/rss.xml.
* Paste that URL into the “Add New Channel” or “Add New Feed” section of the reader. The RSS feed will start to display and regularly update the headlines for you.
What other RSS feeds are available in government?
* Other Government RSS Feeds
* Other Government Podcasts
This is a SAVE THE DATE announcement for an upcoming Health Communications Conference. If you are serious about exploring the role of health messages and social media this powerful conference is for you!
Save the Date
Fourth National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing, and Media
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is pleased to announce the fourth annual National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing, and Media to be held August 17 - 19, 2010, at the Omni Hotel in Atlanta, GA. This conference brings together individuals representing academia, public health researchers and practitioners from federal and state government and the private sector, and provides a forum for collegial dialogue within and across these disciplines. The conference is an excellent opportunity to meet with colleagues and shape the future of health communication, marketing, and media practice.
Abstract submissions for the 2010 Conference on Health Communication, Marketing and Media will be open in early March 2010. More information regarding the conference will be sent as it becomes available.
The National Association of County and City Health Officials makes use of social media. Their mission statement is as follows:
NACCHO is the national organization representing local health departments. NACCHO supports efforts that protect and improve the health of all people and all communities by promoting national policy, developing resources and programs, seeking health equity, and supporting effective local public health practice and systems.
They display a Twitter Follow banner on each page of the site. So if you have a presence on Twitter be sure to follow them.
I also encourage you to visit their marketing page. This page has an assortment of communication tools, PSA’a and logos that can by used by local public health agencies.
Of course you will get maximum benefits if your are a member of the organization. But there is a great deal of information accessible on the site as a non-member also.
Learn how to communicate your public health message with new media. Now, this all day conference is not only free but in New Jersey. So if you are close enough to attend pre-registar now.
Here is an eye opening example of Federal Agencies who are using Social Media. Please note that this report was done in 2008 and more agencies may have been added since then.
CLICK ON THE FULL SCREEN MODE, ON THE TOP RIGHT OF THE SLIDE,TO SEE THE ENTIRE SCREEN.
It is clear that public health emergencies can be communicated very quickly via social media tools. Recently, we have seen special conversations in Twitter, Facebook and other social networking platforms. There are videos on You tube and other video sharing sites.
But there is still so much work to do. My biggest frustration is the limitations posed by IT Departments. Yet, it is critical that they keep your computer networks safe from attack. But there must be a way for a local or State health Department to have a dialogue. Any ideas?
