4.1 Promoting the value of information

Process of looking for information

The process of looking for information is important, and helps many people adjust to their condition.

There are stages to a condition. Different types of information may be needed at these different stages.

• Before a diagnosis:
  (a) to work out what the problem is.
  
  
• Just after a diagnosis:
  (a) to find out why it has happened;
  (b) to find anything that might help.
  
  
• Later on in the condition:
  (a) to focus on the things that work for you;
  (b) to find more detailed information;
  (c) to read the medical research literature.

Support groups as sources of information

At all these stages, it can be very helpful for a person to make contact with a support group for their particular condition, and to talk to someone in the group. So helping people to find the Web sites of national or local support groups is very important.

Provide local organisations with your contact details, including your site URL, for example:

• GP practices, hospitals and special clinics;



• Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) in Trusts;



• public libraries;



• social services;



• local authorities;



• education authorities.

Promote the value and importance of giving people contact details of support groups.

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© Copyright for this site is held by Contact a Family and the Information Society Research and Consultancy Group, School of Computing, Engineering and Information Sciences, Northumbria University. Site published February 2003. Last updated October 2006. Review date October 2007.