RFD: misc.health.reproductive moderated
Robert Jacoby
moderated group misc.health.reproductive
This is a formal Request For Discussion (RFD) for the creation of a
world-wide moderated Usenet newsgroup misc.health.reproductive. This is
not a Call for Votes (CFV); you cannot vote at this time. Procedural
details are below.
RATIONALE: misc.health.reproductive
The field of reproductive health encompasses professionals from numerous
disciplines all over the world, from leading industrialized countries
where programs are funded (and where technology use is high among
professionals) to developing countries where programs are implemented
(and where technology use is typically low, but ever increasing). This
newsgroup will establish a gathering place for the diverse elements in
the reproductive health field worldwide so that professionals can share
and discuss their concerns and interests.
Professionals involved and practicing in the field of reproductive
health include clinic staff and other health care providers, including
physicians, nurses, and midwives; educators; field workers; journalists;
librarians; policy makers in donor agencies, international health
organizations, ministries of health, and service delivery organizations;
publishers; researchers; scholars; students; trainers; writers/editors;
and others.
Current Internet communication among reproductive health professionals
is limited to various Web sites or various mailing lists. While these
Web sites and mailing lists are active and thriving to one degree or
another, they are often focused on specific topics within the field, so
there is no single "place" for the larger and growing community of
reproductive health colleagues worldwide to gather in an online
community. Postings to the six mailing lists noted below average 120 per
week. The addition of the misc.health.reproductive newsgroup will be an
important step forward in helping reproductive health professionals
interact with their colleagues worldwide in a consolidated community.
Some of the current mailing lists available to professionals in the
reproductive health field include:
1. Health Information Forum with the World Health Organization
Contact: INASP_...@compuserve.com
Subscribers: More than 300
2. COMMUNITY-HEALTH-L: Electronic forum on community health
Contact: Nathalie Likhite <Nlik...@msh.org>
Subscribers: More than 650
3. African Networks for Health Research and Development (AFRO-NETS)
Contact: Dr. Dieter Neuvians <neuv...@harare.iafrica.com>
Subscribers: More than 1,300 (direct and indirect)
4. HealthNet Zimbabwe
Contact: Rob Borland <rbor...@healthnet.zw>
Subscribers: More than 500
5. Nigeria-AIDS forum
Contact: Omololu Falobi <omol...@micro.com.ng>
Subscribers: More than 500
6. REPRONET-L
Contact: Natalie Maier <nma...@jhpiego.org>
Subscribers: More than 350
CHARTER: misc.health.reproductive
To encourage discussion worldwide among the various professionals
involved in the discipline and practice of reproductive health.
Articles, discussions, and announcements are welcomed that would be of
interest to those in reproductive health practice, research,
communication, and education. Such articles, discussions, and
announcements may include, but is not limited to, the following topics:
AIDS/HIV, contraception, education (sex and health), family planning,
gender-based violence, sexually transmitted diseases, women's health
issues (e.g., breastfeeding, female genital mutilation, maternal health,
pregnancy), and world population issues.
Posts to the newsgroup may include announcements (conference, workshop,
funding and employment opportunities), behavior change communication,
evaluation, information dissemination, media development and techniques,
news, new resources (monographs, educational aids, reports, Web sites),
organizational resources, research findings, technical matters, training
techniques and materials, policy analysis, and health services reform.
Posts not allowed include the following: Topics that are clearly of a
commercial nature not relevant to the newsgroup, abortion-related topics
(except post-abortion care), attached images, and infertility topics.
English will be the language used among group participants. Other
languages may be added according to the needs of newsgroup participants.
DISCLAIMER, DENIAL OF WARRANTY, LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
No medical advice is given nor is any provided on this newsgroup. Such
information on this newsgroup which may be medical in nature is
information only. Users interested in medical advice or treatment must
consult a medical practitioner properly licensed in the user's
jurisdiction.
The newsgroup moderators shall not be liable to any user or any third
person as a result of use of the newsgroup by a user, or as a result of
any posting, for any claim of any kind, including defamation, disclosure
of confidential information, negligence, or any other claim, no matter
where brought or how the claim arises. Entities who post messages on
this newsgroup, and users who use information obtained from this
newsgroup, by so posting or using, agree to indemnify and hold harmless
the moderators, from any claim, loss or damages arising from the posting
or using.
END CHARTER.
MODERATOR INFO: misc.health.reproductive
Moderator: Richard Blackburn <rbla...@jhuccp.org>
Mr. Blackburn is Senior Research Analyst, Population Information
Program, Center for Communication Programs, Johns Hopkins University
School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Moderator: Stephen Goldstein <sgol...@jhuccp.org>
Mr. Goldstein is Managing Editor, Population Reports, Population
Information Program, Center for Communication Programs, Johns Hopkins
University School of Hygiene and Public Health.
Moderator: Robert Jacoby <rja...@jhuccp.org>
Mr. Jacoby is Editor, Internet Technologies, Population Reports,
Population Information Program, Center for Communication Programs, Johns
Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health. He is also
Editor-in-Chief, American Medical Writers Association Journal.
END MODERATOR INFO.
PROCEDURE:
This is a request for discussion, not a call for votes. In this phase
of the process, any potential problems with the proposed newsgroups
should be raised and resolved. The discussion period will continue for
a minimum of 21 days (starting from when the first RFD for this proposal
is posted to news.announce.newgroups), after which a Call For Votes
(CFV) may be posted by a neutral vote taker if the discussion warrants
it. Please do not attempt to vote until this happens.
All discussion of this proposal should be posted to news.groups.
This RFD attempts to comply fully with the Usenet newsgroup creation
guidelines outlined in "How to Create a New Usenet Newsgroup" and "How
to Format and Submit a New Group Proposal." Please refer to these
documents (available in news.announce.newgroups) if you have any
questions about the process.
DISTRIBUTION:
This RFD has been posted to the following newsgroups:
news.announce.newgroups, news.groups, sci.med.obgyn, sci.med.midwifery,
sci.med.nursing, misc.health.aids, sci.med.aids
and the following mailing lists:
1. Health Information Forum with the World Health Organization
Subscribe via: Neil Pakenham-Walsh at <INASP_...@compuserve.com>
2. COMMUNITY-HEALTH-L: Electronic forum on community health
Subscribe via: <LIST...@MAIL.MSH.ORG> SUBSCRIBE COMMUNITY-HEALTH-L YOUR
NAME (be sure to use your full name)
3. African Networks for Health Research and Development (AFRO-NETS)
Subscribe via: <owner-a...@satserv1.healthnet.org>
4. HealthNet Zimbabwe
Subscribe via: Rob Borland at <rbor...@healthnet.zw>
5. Nigeria-AIDS forum
Subscribe via: Omololu Falobi at <omol...@micro.com.ng>
6. REPRONET-L
Subscribe via: Natalie Maier at <nma...@jhpiego.org>
7. JHU/CCP Web site update subscribers
Subscribe via: JHU/CCP home page at <www.jhuccp.org>
8. International Planned Parenthood Foundation news mailing list
Subscribe via: IPPF home page at <www.ippf.org>
9. Population Health Materials Working Group mailing list
Subscribe via: <majo...@mailinglists.jhuccp.org> with the words
"subscribe phmwg" in the body of the e-mail.
10. The Drum Beat
Subscribe via: The Communication Initiative home page at
<www.comminit.com>
and the following Web sites:
Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs <www.jhuccp.org>
The Communication Initiative <www.comminit.com>
Proponent: Richard Blackburn <rbla...@jhuccp.org>
Proponent: Stephen Goldstein <sgol...@jhuccp.org>
Proponent: Robert Jacoby <rja...@jhuccp.org>
Proponent: Ward Rinehart <wrin...@jhuccp.org>