Why do data practitioners utilize open government data for public health?

Objectives: Governments have long encouraged professionals in various sectors to innovatively apply open government data (OGD). Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the application of OGD in civil services to improve public health–related literacy has been discussed comprehensively. This study investigated the needs of practitioners utilizing OGD to develop specific products concerning public health to demonstrate the value of utilizing OGD to improve the quality of life of citizens. Methods: This study qualitatively analyzed 11 interviews with practitioners utilizing grounded theory. Results: (1) Six types of needs of practitioners utilizing OGD were identified, namely mission-oriented, cost-oriented, functionality-oriented, compliance-oriented, social-oriented, and self-oriented needs. (2) Two factors determining whether the practitioners’ needs were met were identified. Conclusions: Practitioners can use OGD to provide services for citizens to use to access public health information. These OGDbased services not only enhance individuals’ abilities to address questions about public health but also foster an understanding of and participation in public health. Because practitioners are crucial to the implementation of OGD, these findings enable governments to optimize policies to improve OGD utilization on the basis of data practitioners’ experiences.