Background and Purpose: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a major public health problem in the Philippines and around the world. Preventive measures to reduce its continuous rise require improvement in the health system. Utilization of information and communication technology-(ICT)-based tools will allow dissemination of evidenced-based information in the population. This case report contains the description of the development process of a Web-based nutrition Website.
Case Description: ICT-based tools were explored as means of communicating nutrition information to the public because of the increasing access and usage of the Internet among Filipinos. An iterative process with five major phases were followed in the development.
Outcome: The Website HELP Online can be accessed through (http://i.fnri.dost.gov.ph/helponline). There is integration of two modules: one for the general public and the other for registered nutritionist dietitians (RND) of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI). The first module contained the nutrition counseling platform that connects and records all interactions of online and walk-in clients with their RNDs. The second module contained nutrition calculators, a health tracker, and nutrition education materials.
Discussion: The developed HELP Online Website was used for online users to easily access nutrition information and services offered by Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-FNRI. The user-centered design focus in combination with a responsive Web platform resulted in improved user satisfaction. In terms of content, use of the current and accepted scientific information translated to simpler and easier messages were found to be more effective among the target group. Although many issues exist with the continuous use of ICT-based tools, the main purpose is to improve the delivery of evidence-based information to the public
