W2tQ: Wacky races - global health care and stereotypes

Since adding the clustermaps and flag counter I've been following the 'trends' of number of visitors. I'd hoped in summer 2009 I might in 6 months reach 500 daily readers of the feed for W2tQ. That total still eludes me. The flag counter is ongoing and 'scientific methods' aside it is interesting to reflect on progress there.

When I first thought of this post it was to be read to the tune and commentary of 'It's the Wacky Races!' This is not to cock a snoop at the participants, but the tongue-in-cheek nature of this post.

There are no surprises in the clear leader with the US way out in front. In terms of the target audience - everyone is very welcome as the message of this blog: is global. Within the flag counter there are some surprises. This may suggest the universality of English on the web and also the increasing effectiveness of translation tools. Or, people can see - and read - that there is a health, education and informatics currency in h2cm.

Here are the flag counter images from December 2009 (left) and January 2011 (right). In both the US, GB, Canada are out in front. India is right there as Germany puts on the gas. Despite being stuck in the sub 450 range with feedburner, it's great to see the global progress that W2tQ is making. I'm not sure what happened to the 'EU', it was there initially with '15'. It looks like they've punctured or something?

I wonder if to some extent there is the same stereotyping at work within the global health community as between the health and social care disciplines? Not just within some nations - but within local 'multidisciplinary teams'? How aware are we of what other disciplines do? How do they complement our role? How can we increase our combined impact?

Many of the developing countries are now represented as visitors to W2tQ. How well, from Lancashire, UK can I understand their daily ride? What problems are faced by health care workers in this range of nations? What resources do they have to call on - within and without their communities.

I hope this blog* can act as a springboard - not to a race, but to community building and collaboration. We all have much to learn from each other on our respective journeys. As you lean out of your car(e) window, I wonder what you see?

*Or more accurately the Drupal powered site that must follow!