Hepatitis B is the world's most common serious liver infection, and is associated with more than 80% of liver cancer worldwide. Those that are affected are in urgent need of information to help them to successfully deal with their disease and maintain a high quality of life. The long-range goal of this project is to provide information and support to the millions of individuals worldwide that are affected by hepatitis B. In particular, this proposal describes how a comprehensive hepatitis B website will be developed to bring high-quality health information to consumer users and health care professionals. The creation of this """"""""virtual community"""""""" will include high-technology features such as an e-newsletter and expert forums, delivered in a user-friendly package. Additionally, website content and features will be personalized in response to the specific needs and preferences of the target audiences. This project will also focus on creating an important connection between information seekers and the National Library of Medicine databases, including MEDLINE, MEDLINEPIus, and ClinicalTrials.gov. The website will be evaluated throughout the three year timeline, to incorporate user-feedback into the development process, to track website usage statistics, and to determine the impact of the website on the targeted users. Ultimately, the completed website can be utilized as a model for the interactive dissemination of high-quality health information through the Internet.
