Preparing public librarians for consumer health information service: A nationwide study

Luo, Lili; Park, Van Ta

doi:10.1016/j.lisr.2013.06.002

Cited by 59 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Although prior research has documented a higher frequency of assisting patrons with health information needs among urban libraries than among rural libraries (16), our findings suggested otherwise. In Pennsylvania, public libraries across metropolitan and nonmetropolitan communities reported similar challenges in their work to support the social and health needs of their patrons, despite a lack of formal professional training in this arena.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 88%

“…Previous studies, largely from the library sciences, focused on public libraries’ role in disseminating consumer health information and found that library staff members regularly helped patrons with their health information needs (16,23–25). Adding to these findings, this study used a public health perspective to report on the crucial position of library staff members in linking vulnerable populations to the health and social support systems they need.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Library staff members regularly assist patrons who have unmet health and social needs, but feel ill-equipped to address these patron needs (12). Previous research has focused on librarians’ role in providing disease-specific consumer health information (16); however, little is known from surveys about the extent to which librarians are called on to assist patrons with social determinants of health, such as housing, employment, and education (17). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Public Libraries As Partners for Health

et al. 2018

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IntroductionPublic libraries are free and accessible to all and are centers of community engagement and education, making them logical choices as partners for improving population health. Library staff members routinely assist patrons with unmet health and social needs.MethodsWe used a 100-question, self-administered web survey sent to all library directors listed in the Pennsylvania Library Association database (N = 621), to investigate staff interactions with library patrons to address social determinants of health. We conducted statistical comparisons of quantitative responses and a content analysis of open-ended responses.ResultsRespondents (N = 262) reported frequently interacting with patrons around health and social concerns — well beyond those related to literacy and education — including help with employment (94%), nutrition (70%), exercise (66%), and social welfare benefits (51%). Acute emergencies were not uncommon in Pennsylvania’s public libraries, with nearly 12% of respondents having witnessed a drug overdose at the library in the past year. Most respondents felt that their professional training left them inadequately prepared to assist patrons with health and social issues. Although at least 40% of respondents offered some health programming at their library branch, their offerings did not meet the high level of need reflected in common patron inquiries.ConclusionThe challenges library staff members experience in meeting their patrons’ information needs suggest opportunities for public libraries to advance population health. Library staff members need additional training and resources and collaboration with public health and health care institutions to respond to community needs through effective, evidence-based public health programming.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 88%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Public Libraries As Partners for Health

et al. 2018

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“…In a more recent study (Luo and Ta Park 2013), the lack of knowledge about available medical/health information sources was reported by public librarians as one of the top challenges when answering consumer health questions.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Consumer Health Reference Interview: Ideas for Public Librarians

Luo

2015

Public Library Quarterly

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This two-stage study seeks to help public librarians become better prepared, and more confident and competent when answering medical/health questions. At the first stage, eleven barriers public librarians often encounter in the consumer health reference interview were identified through a comprehensive literature review, and at the second stage, input from professional consumer health librarians on how to overcome the barriers was gathered via a qualitative survey. Findings of the study provide concrete and practical strategies that will help public librarians more successfully conduct the reference interview to assist library users in their health information seeking journey.

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“…Older adults struggled more than their younger counterparts, even when their computer skills were not in question. While the study acknowledges the potential role of librarians in supporting health literacy, they may face the same struggles with having adequate time, resources, and training to do so as the authors note for medical professionals (Luo & Park, 2013). Studies such as this demonstrate that this work, while challenging, is necessary for public health.…”

Section: Commentarymentioning

confidence: 90%

Age and Context Sensitivity Associated with Reduced Success in Finding Health Information Online

Merkley

2015

EBLIP

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Objective -To determine the extent to which age and cognitive style influence an individual's ability to successfully locate health information online.Design -Quantitative study employing scales and regression analysis.Setting -A school of public health and a school of medicine at two universities in the United States of America.Subjects -346 men and women 35 years or older.Methods -Participants for the Online Health Study (OHS) were recruited from the community at both study sites using stratified sampling and screened with a web-based tool to ensure they had the necessary level of digital literacy to complete the study tasks. Once enrolled, participants completed the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM) to measure their health literacy and the Witkin Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT) to determine their cognitive style (labelled by researchers as context sensitive or context independent). Participants were asked to search online for answers to six specific questions on heart-healthy diets, flu vaccinations, alternative medicine and memory, genetic testing, assistive medical technology, and skin cancer, with 15 minutes of search time allowed for each question. Participants reported their answers after each search, which were later assigned scores for

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Preparing public librarians for consumer health information service: A nationwide study

Cited by 59 publications

References 19 publications

Public Libraries As Partners for Health

Public Libraries As Partners for Health

Consumer Health Reference Interview: Ideas for Public Librarians

Age and Context Sensitivity Associated with Reduced Success in Finding Health Information Online

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