Perceived Internet health literacy of HIV-positive people through the provision of a computer and Internet health education intervention

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess perceived Internet health literacy of HIV‐positive people before and after an Internet health information educational intervention. Methods: We developed a 50‐min educational intervention on basic computer skills and online health information evaluation. We administered a demographic survey and a validated health literacy survey (eHEALS) at baseline, immediately after, and 3 months the class. Changes in scores between the surveys were analysed. Results: Eighteen HIV‐positive participants were included in the final analysis. Before the intervention, most respondents’ assessment of their ability to access Internet health information was unfavourable. Post‐intervention, the majority of respondents agreed or strongly agreed they were able to access and identify Internet health information resources. The increase in self‐assessed skill level was statistically significant for all eight items eHEALS (P < 0.05). Scores for the 3‐month follow‐up survey remained higher than pre‐intervention scores for most items. Conclusions: Providing an interdisciplinary brief introductory Internet health information educational intervention HIV‐positive people with baseline low perceived Internet health literacy significantly improves confidence in finding and using Internet health information resources. Studies with larger numbers of participants should be undertaken to determine if brief interventions improve self‐care, patient outcomes and use of emergency services.     

International Trends in Designing Electronic Health Information Literacy for Health Sciences Students: A Systematic Review of the Literature

The Internet has become a crucial source of health information for health sciences students. They increasingly rely on the Internet for health information to support their educational projects, academic activities, clinical practice and research. Surprisingly, it has been shown that students' health information skills for conducting research on the Internet are inadequate. Indeed, developing and improving the health information skill set of health sciences students is required in order for students to effectively locate, critically evaluate, and efficiently use online health information for the effective location, critical evaluation and efficient use of online health information. This paper undertakes a systematic review of the literature with a focus on electronic health information literacy skills with the aim of identifying the current trends, contributions to, and practices in health sciences students' education, and informing researchers in the field universally about the essential baseline for the design and development of effective course contents, pedagogy and assessment approaches. However, majority of students have limited skills for the location, evaluation and effective use of health information on the Internet. Other articles suggest that health sciences students need fully fledged health information skills programs that are integrated with their health sciences education curricula.     

Do you Mini-Med School? Leveraging library resources to improve Internet consumer health information literacy

Popular for engaging public interest in medical science while promoting health awareness, Mini-Med School (MMS) programs also afford important if largely unrealized opportunities to improve the health information literacy of attendees. With a growing population using the Internet to make health decisions, needed venues for improving Internet Consumer Health Information (CHI) literacy may be found in the MMS platform. Surveyed directors of MMS programs understand the need to include CHI, and successful programs at SUNY Stony Brook and elsewhere demonstrate the potential for collaboration with affiliated health sciences libraries to integrate CHI instruction into MMS curricula.     

Assessing internet access and use in a medically underserved population: implications for providing enhanced health information services

Background: The relationship between health information seeking, patient engagement and health literacy is not well understood. This is especially true in medically underserved populations, which are often viewed as having limited access to health information. Objective: To improve communication between an urban health centre and the community it serves, a team of library and information science researchers undertook an assessment of patients’ level and methods of access to and use of the Internet. Methods: Data were collected in 53 face‐to‐face anonymous interviews with patients at the centre. Interviews were tape‐recorded for referential accuracy, and data were analysed to identify patterns of access and use. Results: Seventy‐two percentage of study participants reported having access to the Internet through either computers or cell phones. Barriers to Internet access were predominantly lack of equipment or training rather than lack of interest. Only 21% of those with Internet access reported using the Internet to look for health information. Conclusion: The findings suggest that lack of access to the Internet in itself is not the primary barrier to seeking health information in this population and that the digital divide exists not at the level of information access but rather at the level of information use.     

“信息疫情”之下的公众信息素养培育路径探索

“互联网+”和新媒体环境下,“信息疫情”十分严峻。认识、理解和防控“信息疫情”的根本途径在于公众信息素养的培养和提升。全面探索公众信息素养培育路径,具有重要意义。基于文献阅读的基础上,进行信息素养内涵梳理,总结公众信息素养培育目标。结合社会需求与信息环境,分析关注公众信息素养培育的现实动因与积极意义。教育与信息技术的发展,使我国公众信息素养培育已有一定成就,但仍存在培育对象较单一、培育断层等问题。由此提出公众信息素养培育应:扩大信息素养培育范围,以终身学习理论为宣传支撑,推进公众信息素养培育供给侧发展,出台国家层面的公众信息素养培育体系,净化信息素养培育的互联网环境。     

Information searching behavior in the Internet age: A users’ study of Aligarh Muslim University

This study reports the results of a survey conducted at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) to determine the extent to which Internet users are aware and make use of the Internet resources and services. The study examines the information searching behavior of Internet users. A questionnaire and follow-up interviews with the postgraduate students, research scholars and academic staff were conducted to collect data. A total of 489 questionnaires were distributed to the selected sample of eight faculties; 405 valid samples were collected. The data were analyzed according to the background of Internet users, Internet information searching behavior, use of Internet resources and services, quality of Internet information, problems of the Internet access and need for Internet literacy. The study found that the majority of respondents had a 5 year history of Internet access. The academic staff spent more time on the Internet than the students and research scholars. Although Internet search engines were the preferred information searching tool, other methods such as databases, gateways and World Wide Web (WWW) were also used. Online journals and databases were the preferred information sources among the Internet users. Respondents chose e-mail, WWW and search engines as important Internet services. About 60% of respondents believed that the good quality of information on the Internet made it a useful tool for education and research. Slow speed, lack of training and information overload were indicated as some of the factors affecting Internet usage. Further, recommendations are made to improve the use of Internet, including a well-planned Internet literacy program and preparation of subject gateways.     

美国公共图书馆年长者健康信息服务调查与分析

[目的/意义]调查并分析美国公共图书馆年长者健康信息服务现况，为我国公共图书馆开展相关服务提供参考。[方法/过程]利用网络调查法，结合文献调查、访谈和案例分析，选择服务人口数量排名前25的公共图书馆，以是否有专项年长者健康信息服务为抽样标准，对选取的14所图书馆的服务现况及特点进行分析。[结果/结论]美国公共图书馆年长者健康信息服务具有如下特点：遵循规范的服务流程；细分年长者用户群，重视50+用户；健康信息服务的主题内容较为集中，以满足用户的信息需求；以提高用户健康素养尤其是电子健康素养为主要目标。     

基于生活信息学模型的个人健康信息管理研究

[目的/意义]以预防为核心的健康理念成为健康中国战略的主旋律,而以互联网为依托的自我跟踪技术在改善公民健康状况上存在巨大潜力。[方法/过程]本文基于生活信息学模型,结合问卷调查和访谈,对非医疗情境下用户在决定、选择、跟踪和失效四个阶段的健康信息管理实践进行调查,探究用户的行为模式和需求状况。[结果/结论]本文认为用户应当提升个人健康信息素养水平、培养参与健康活动的习惯,并充分享受个人健康信息管理的娱乐性和社交性,并针对自我跟踪技术提出了若干功能性和非功能性的优化策略研究结果有助于改进运动健康APP的设计,并指导个人在生活中开展健康信息管理活动。     

The Impact of the Internet

Summary

The Internet has brought great changes to reference services in academic libraries. One significant impact has been the growth and evolution of the reference librarian's role as teacher. This article reviews the literature on the librarian's increased teaching role with the emergence of the Internet, discusses the changing student populations who require a librarian's instruction and the skills that students need to achieve information literacy, and reviews how the Internet has affected current teaching strategies including classroom instruction, Web-based instruction, and efforts to integrate information literacy instruction into the curriculum. In addition, it also introduces emerging Internet technologies with their potential impact on teaching and instruction. The authors conclude that the reference librarian's teaching role will further increase with the development of information technologies.     

Health InfoNet of Jefferson County: collaboration in consumer health information service.

Health InfoNet of Jefferson County is a new collaborative consumer health information service of the Jefferson County public libraries and the UAB Lister Hill Library of the Health Sciences. Working with the input and cooperation of local voluntary health agencies, health care professionals and other health information providers, the intent is to improve the efficiency with which consumers might access such information while avoiding duplication of effort on the part of the information providers. Various considerations in InfoNet's mission include providing service not only to established library and Internet users, but also those on the other side of the "digital divide" as well as those with low literacy skills or English as a second language. The role of health care professionals in guiding their patients to the best consumer health information resources is emphasized.     

The prevalence of low health literacy in undergraduate students in Pakistan

This Regular Feature is based on a PhD study assessing the level of health literacy among university students in Pakistan. A cross-sectional survey was carried out using the validated European Health Literacy Survey (HLS-EU-Q) and non-parametric tests used to analyse data with the aim of determining the influence of personal determinants on health literacy skills. The findings of the study concluded that the population had a low health literacy level with limited skills in accessing, understanding, appraising and applying information for health care. Gender, age, and native languages, all had a statistically significant influence on health literacy skills. Practical implications are presented for the role of university libraries in supporting the development of health literacy in their undergraduate student populations are presented, including the need for the provision of health information in native languages.     

“互联网+”视角下基于微视频的信息素养教育创新研究

[目的/意义]传统的信息素养教育模式面临低效率、边缘化等诸多困境,从"互联网+"的视角探究背后的形成逻辑有助于找到破解困境的创新路径。[方法/过程]从"互联网+"的视角对图书馆信息素养教育发展困境的形成机理进行探究,提出基于微视频创新信息素养教育的逻辑思路和行动路径。[结果/结论]基于微视频创新信息素养教育是图书馆与其他行业跨界融合的积极探索,是在尊重人性的基础上对传统模式的重构,既强化相关主体之间的连接,又促进信息素养教育生态的开放,从而形成一种多方共赢的利益格局。     

台湾地区新闻从业人员网络素养与网络新闻识读能力之研究

认为1999年因网络原生新闻概念而创立的网络报纸在台湾出现后,网络新闻开始让传统新闻媒体的产制作业产生冲击,新兴媒体时代的新闻产制过程,让新闻工作者无法用原本的媒体素养来因应网络。使用问卷调查法,了解新闻从业人员的网络素养以及具备网络素养的衡量准则。研究结果发现,新闻工作者已大量使用网络,但网络素养却十分匮乏,难以因应媒体科技在新兴媒体时代的变化。     

Health Information and Health Literacy: Public Library Practices,Challenges, and Opportunities

This study investigated 18 libraries in two public library systems in Oklahoma to find out how they are addressing health literacy and facilitating access to consumer health information; how library staff members view their roles and responsibilities relative to health information and health literacy; what challenges libraries face; and what strategies are being used. Staff members recognized several challenges to providing health information and to developing programs, including staff and patron difficulties with reference interviews, and patron lack of awareness of library resources. Staff members often had only a partial understanding of health literacy, and were unaware of system strategies to address health literacy or provision of health information.     

How Are Medical Librarians Addressing Health Literacy Barriers?

The purpose of this literature review was exploring how medical librarians are addressing health literacy barriers, with an emphasis on enhancing the patient care experience. This literature review contributes up-to-date information related to health literacy barriers, with a specific focus on medical librarianship and enhancing the patient care experience. Medical librarians can positively impact health literacy barriers. By partnering with other healthcare professionals, medical librarians are in a position to ensure health information can be understood, which will ultimately improve health literacy and enhance the patient care experience. Improving health literacy rates may improve health outcomes and decrease healthcare costs.     

Information literacy education in WeChat environment at academic libraries in China

This paper investigates the practice of information literacy education in the mobile environment in China. The research chose 39 university libraries of Project 985 as the objects of study, and especially focused on the practice of the East China Normal University Library for in-depth discussions. The data and examples were collected through surveys on both Internet and mobile Internet from September 1, 2016 to March 31, 2019. Based on the discussion of survey results and specific examination of practice of information literacy education through WeChat at the East China Normal University, this paper offers some experience, feasible strategies, and suggestions on how to improve the mobile information literacy education by using WeChat platform.     

E时代公民健康信息素养教育和服务研究

阐述信息素养的概念及其在医学领域的发展,分析加强健康信息素养教育的必要性,通过分析国内外健康信息素养理论与实践研究的现状,结合当前我国公众健康素养以及健康信息素养研究存在的问题,指出E时代健康信息素养教育的服务理念和服务对象、内容及措施,提出要学习和借鉴美国等发达国家在健康信息素养教育和公共卫生管理方面的先进理念、经验教训,突破基本健康知识与技能的局限,将健康信息素养注入到公众健康素养干预的研究之中,积极探索提高全民健康素养的新思路和新方法,提高全民健康素养水平。      

信息素质教育与图书馆

信息素质包括人们使用图书馆的素质和媒体、计算机、因特网等方面的素质,以及从事科研和思考的能力。图书馆开展信息素质教育就是要对读者进行信息意识、信息道德教育和信息能力培养。对读者进行文献检索及网络信息知识教育,为其提供丰富多彩的信息素质教育服务,是图书馆的重要责任。     

新形势下研究生信息素养教育发展体系建构研究

"互联网+"新业态、"大众创业,万众创新"新浪潮对研究生信息素养提出更高要求,也为高校研究生信息素养教育带来新的机遇与挑战。本文立足于卓越人才培养理念,重新审视研究生信息素养教育内涵转变,有针对性地借鉴国内外高校研究生信息素养教育的优势经验,基于"六位一体"重构适应新形势的研究生信息素养教育发展体系,为有效提升研究生信息素养水平提供有效路径及决策参考。     

Developing health information literacy: a needs analysis from the perspective of preprofessional health students

Objective:

The research identified the skills, if any, that health preprofessional students wished to develop after receiving feedback on skill gaps as well as any strategies they intended to use to address these gaps.

Methods:

A qualitative approach was used to elicit students'' reflections on building health information literacy skills. First, the students took the Research Readiness Self-Assessment instrument, which measured their health information literacy, and then they received individually tailored feedback about their scores and skill gaps. Second, students completed a post-assessment survey asking how they intended to close identified gaps in their skills on these. Three trained coders analyzed qualitative comments by 181 students and grouped them into themes relating to “what skills to improve” and “how to improve them.”

Results:

Students intended to develop library skills (64% of respondents), Internet skills (63%), and information evaluation skills (63%). Most students reported that they would use library staff members'' assistance (55%), but even more respondents (82%) planned to learn the skills by practicing on their own. Getting help from librarians was a much more popular learning strategy than getting assistance from peers (20%) or professors (17%).

Conclusions:

The study highlighted the importance of providing health preprofessional students with resources to improve skills on their own, remote access to library staff members, and instruction on the complexity of building health literacy skills, while also building relationships among students, librarians, and faculty.

Highlights

• After receiving feedback on skill gaps, most preprofessional health students intend to develop their information literacy skills.
• Some students report that a trip to the library is a barrier to using library resources.
• Students see the need to build their information evaluation skills, knowledge of citations and plagiarism, and library skills, which they differentiate from Internet skills.
• Students are more likely to identify librarians as sources for assistance in finding information than faculty or peers after receiving individual feedback explaining the role of libraries and library staff members.

Implications

• Students'' health information competencies can be built through assessment and feedback that reveals skill gaps, highlights misconceptions, and offers ideas on how to improve.
• Access to professionally designed self-study resources is needed for students who intend to develop health information competencies on their own.