Introduction to the National Public Health Language

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Introduction to the National Public Health
Language

• David Bawden

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NPHL concept

• single language suitable for indexing and
  retrieval of public health material
• applicable to
• databases and websites
• bibliographic material and datasets
• ISO thesaurus format
• Multites software
• links and mappings to other languages

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ISO thesaurus format

• alphabetical list of terms
• term relations
• synonym USE/USE FOR
• hierarchy BROADER / NARROWER TERM
• association RELATED TERM
• term explanation, definition SCOPE NOTE

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NPHL initial idea

• integration of
• Public Health Information Thesaurus HDA
• PHITS classification
• APHO
• the two significant UK public health languages

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HAD thesaurus

• HDA websites and databases
• thesaurus format (SY, BT/NT, RT, SN)
• 1400 terms, 400 synonyms
• generally consistent, but
• some errors
• 25 of terms not in hierarchy
• many (570) main sections

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PHITS(Public Health Information Tagging System)

• three-level hierarchical classification
• 350 tags with descriptions
• highly structured, with 7 main sections
• no synonyms or related terms
• highly consistent
• topic coverage similar to HP

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PHITS example

• Morbidity and mortality
• Endocrine diseases
• Other endocrine MAM

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NPHL extended idea

• add links to
• Government Category List
• DoH taxonomy
• broader scope languages, but both covering public
  health topics

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Government Category List

• for all UK government web-sites
• category list, but in thesaurus format
• very wide subject scope
• 360 terms, 1200 synonyms
• generally consistent
• only partially relevant

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DoH Taxonomy

• top levels of DoH thesaurus
• ISO thesaurus format
• 19 main headings
• many terms, but limited number relevant

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NPHL objectives

• retain all concepts in HDA and PHITS
• retain general structure of PHITS
• allow access by existing HDA and PHITS terms
  where possible
• links to relevant DoH and GCL terms
• thesaurus format (ISO standard)
• Multites software

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NPHL development (so far..)

• scoping study, interviews
• creation of first draft version
• evaluation, RFC
• creation of second draft version
• further evaluation, further comments
• minor amendments
• Multites implementation

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NPHL first draft version

• PHITS tags put into thesaurus form
• HDA and PHITS terms put into single language, but
  kept as separate terms linked by RTs
• HDA errors and inconsistencies corrected
• PHITS terms modified for clarity and to remove
  ambiguity
• DoH and GCL terms mapped by RT

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Evaluation of NPHL first draft

• concept is proved
• need to fully integrate the language
• remove separate HDA/PHITS structures
• create tighter structure with fewer main
  sections
• remove inconsistencies, which are concentrated in
  a few sections

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NPHL second draft version

• residual HDA and PHITS structure removed
• PHITS structure described in scope notes
• integrated language with minimal inconsistencies
• DoH and GCL terms still mapped by RTs

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NPHL second draft version

• main sections reduced to 10
• possibility of decimal notation
• main sections (except 1) map to either PHITS
  headings or DoH taxonomy terms
• errors and ambiguities corrected
• two sections reworked
• morbidity and mortality
• healthcare professions

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After evaluation..

• some further minor modifications to individual
  terms
• online Multites implementation
• 1571 terms, 340 synonyms

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Example NPHL term

• COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE
• SN Treatments used alongside orthodox
• medical treatment
• UF Complementary treatments
• BT HEALTH SERVICES
• NT HOMEOPATHY
• CHIROPRACTIC
• RT MEDICINE

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NPHL main sections

• 1 HEALTH, PUBLIC HEALTH AND HEALTH PROMOTION
• 2 ROOT CAUSES OF ILL HEALTH
• 3 DEATH, DISEASE AND DISABILITY
• 4 PEOPLE AND POPULATIONS
• 5 SETTINGS AND PLACES
• 6 HEALTH SERVICES AND THEIR MANAGEMENT
• 7 PUBLIC HEALTH METHODS AND RESEARCH
• 8 COMMUNICATION AND KNOWLEDGE
• 9 TIME FACTORS
• 10 EQUIPMENT

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NPHL can be found at..

• http//www.nphl.nhs.uk
• OR
• http//www.multites.com
• follow link web thesaurus
• NPHL is listed as
• National Public Health Language

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NPHL a work in progress

• revision of high-level structure
• better names for main sections
• re-ordering of sections
• revision of disease sections
• better placement for methodology, equipment
• etc.

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NPHL future prospects

• taxonomy drawn from top terms
• classification notation ?
• integration with revised GCL
• integration with MeSH, Snomed ..

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Thanks to...

• Claira Bannon
• Marta Calonge Contreras
• Peter Cornelissen
• Phil Defriez
• Stella Dextre Clarke
• Julian Flowers
• Astero Kanaris
• Geoff Powell