One of the fastest growing fields of interest is that of public health. Public health deals with keeping the population as a whole healthy, raising awareness of best health practices among members of the public. As technology continues to advance, and as more ways to communicate are developed, it will be possible for public health professionals to connect more with each other – -and with the public.
Social networks offers a number of opportunities for health care professionals and those working in public health to reach out. If you are interested in public health, and if you are interested in using social sites to connect with more people, here are 25 networking sites and communities that can help:
Health Professionals
These social sites are focused on health professionals from a variety of places. You can reach out to others in the health field, and learn. You can also interact with the public on some of these sites.
HealthBoards: This is a great social site that provides access to a number of interesting boards and discussions. Many of the subjects are related to public health, and you can find public health mentions and public health professionals throughout. A great place to connect with professionals and the public alike.
DoctorsLounge: This is a great site that allows the public access to doctors, as well as other medical and health professionals. There is an entire community with forums and blogs. You can be involved and share your knowledge and insights. A great social network for reliable personal and public health information.
DailyStrength: This is a support group and community site with information about different conditions, some of which represent public health concerns. It is a good place to visit if you are interested in learning more about what health issues are prevalent. It can also help public health professionals improve the way the interact with and connect to the public.
Healtheva: A community aimed at doctors, researchers and other health professionals. Public health researchers can become involved and connect with others. This is a great community especially for academic health professionals, including those in public health. Share your knowledge and even learn something.
BioCrowd: A social network aimed at connecting those with a passion for bioscience. Public health issues fall into this category in a lot of ways. If you are interested in connecting with others, learning something new, and finding new ways to express yourself, this is a great social site to try. Also a good place to look for jobs and find other resources.
OBGYN.net: If you are looking for a place that is centered around women’s health, this is it. This large network includes medical professionals, health educators, pharmaceutical representatives, medical device companies and ordinary women. It’s a great place to interact and learn more about women’s health topics and their impact on public health.
Within3: You can get involved with Within3 to grow your own community. This is a great way to stay connected with public health professionals and others. It’s an interesting concept that suggests that most health professionals are within three of each other, and that you can use this to connect with others and expand your network, and create your own public health community.
NurseTogether: This is a great nurse community that can provide insight to public health professional. Includes nurse educators and others who are involved with public health, as well as those that work in personal health. A great resource.
YourNurseCommunity: Get helpful insights from nurses. A great place to go to discuss a variety of issues related to personal and public health. You can learn more about health, global nursing and even discuss politics and public health policy. A great place to make new friends, forge connections and read information.
Public Administration
If you are a public health professional working with the government, these sites can be quite helpful. They are mostly geared toward civil servants, and they can help you make a variety of useful connections with other professionals and with the public.
Public Health Information Network: The Centers for Disease Control offers this great network that allows you to connect with others and discuss topics related to public health. There are communities and forums, as well as plenty of resources and news. Head here to join a public health community, and to learn more about what you can do.- GovFresh:
This great community and social network offers you the chance to engage with others on subjects related to governance. You can engage in public health policy discussions, connect with citizens, and improve your own knowledge. It’s a great place to go if you want to connect on a public level. 
Public Administration Theory Network: An interesting network that allows you to connect with others interested in public administration. Learn more about theories of public administration, and you will begin to see how they can be applied to public health administration, and how you can use them to improve your work as a public health professional.
Center for Social Media: This is a great network for those who want to learn more about social media. A great resource for public health professionals who want to connect with others, as well as those who want to learn about social media issues. Leverage social media in a way that helps you achieve your goals.
The Collaboration Project: A really cool community and social network designed to help people work together to achieve great outcomes. This is a good place to go if you want help advancing your public health goals. A great place for public health officials, as well as for those looking to improve the health of their communities.
United Nations Public Administration Network: Connect with public administration professionals, including public health officials, from around the world. The UN makes it possible for you to learn more about public administration, and developing policy for a number of issues.
GovLoop: This site is meant to help you connect with other public administration professionals. Network and discuss policy. Public health professionals are represented here as well. You can discuss public health issues, learn more about public health administration, and collaborate with others.
WebContent.gov: Join a community of web managers and others who can help you learn the ropes of connecting to the public. There is a forum on this site where you can connect to other public administration professionals, and learn more about social media and building good sites.
General Social Sites
Some of the most useful sites in public health are general social media sites. Here are some of the most popular sites being used by such public health organizations as the Centers for Disease Control.
- Twitter:
You have probably heard of this site. It’s a great one for seeing what is happening in the world of public health. You can create lists of public health organizations and professionals, and you can tweet information related to public health. This is a site utilized by many public health agencies. 
Facebook: Many public health professionals, agencies and organizations have a Facebook page. You can start Facebook groups and pages that reflect public health, and generally connect with others in your field. A great resource, and one that can make it easy for you to share information.
LinkedIn: This is a social network designed just for professionals. If you are a public health professional, you can connect with others, and build your network. You can also create groups, send out information and stay up with what is happening.
Meetup: If you want to meet up with other public health professionals, this is a great social network. Find others who share your interests, and start a group of local public health professionals in your area. Get together for discussions and to help each other.
YouTube: The popular video site can also be a great social networking tool for public health professionals. Many public health agencies make use of YouTube. You can create informative videos and connect with other professionals and the public alike.
Flickr: The photo sharing site can also be a great tool. Different public health agencies and professionals use Flickr to share photos and to connect with the public. You can do the same, finding other public health professionals and following streams of public health organizations.
orkut: Google created this social networking site, and it can be helpful for public health professionals. Connect with others who work in the field, and enjoy the conversation. A good way to connect with others, and to keep up with what is happening in the world of social media.
Ning: If you want to create your own social site, you can do it with help from Ning. This is a great social site that provides you with tools to start your own public health social media site.
