Health Channel gets better

More than 200,000 people a month are visiting the faster, more user-friendly Better Health Channel on the Internet.

About 20 per cent of these visits are made on public access terminals (PATs) throughout metropolitan and country Victoria.

The PATS are located at more than 130 public hospitals, community health centres and pharmacies across the state.

PAT locations are currently under evaluation to establish why some are more popular than others.

The Department of Human Services’ Better Health Channel—which was upgraded in November—contains information on more than 700 topics.

Articles on Alzheimers’ disease, skin and bowel cancer, lupus, alcohol, depression, arthritis, and sex, health and relationships were the most widely read during January.

About 30 articles are added each month, including information on issues in the news, such as measles and mad cow disease.

All articles are from credible and respected organisations and signed off as correct and accurate by Victoria’s former Chief Health Officer Dr Graham Rouch.

The Better Health Channel also includes a local services directory.

The local services directory is set to expand from 5,000 agencies to 25,000 including health practitioners.

• The Better Health Channel is located at www. betterhealth.vic.gov.au.