Journal Article - Preventing Chronic Disease: Public Health Research, Practice, and Policy

Digital government and public health

| September 2004

Digital government is typically defined as the production and delivery of information and services inside government and between government and the public using a range of information and communication technologies. Two types of government relationships with other entities are government-to-citizen and government-to-government relationships. Both offer opportunities and challenges. Assessment of a public health agency's readiness for digital government includes examination of technical, managerial, and political capabilities. Public health agencies are especially challenged by a lack of funding for technical infrastructure and expertise, by privacy and security issues, and by lack of Internet access for low-income and marginalized populations. Public health agencies understand the difficulties of working across agencies and levels of government, but the development of new, integrated e-programs will require more than technical change — it will require a profound change in paradigm.

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For more information on this publication: Belfer Communications Office
For Academic Citation: Fountain, Jane E. Digital government and public health.” Preventing Chronic Disease: Public Health Research, Practice, and Policy, vol. 1. no. 4. (September 2004) .

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