Establishing an international computer network for research and teaching in public health and epidemiology

Most universities and major research institutions in North America, Western Europe and around the Pacific are connected via computer communication networks. The authors have used these networks' accessible, low cost, electronic mail system to develop a network of public health researchers and teachers. Current and potential uses of this network are discussed. These networks can not only facilitate international cooperation within public health; they also make it possible to conduct international collaborative research projects that would be too cumbersome and time consuming to initialize and conduct without this communication facility. One participant from Hungary has been able to participate in the network by using telefax. This has some drawbacks compared to electronic mail. In this era of rapid change in Eastern Europe, we urge that electronic communication be made freely available to colleagues in Eastern Europe.