Consumer Health Information Behavior in Public Libraries: A Qualitative Study

2015 ◽  
Vol 85 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Jeong Yi
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Information Behavior ◽  
Consumer Health Information ◽  
Consumer Health

scholarly journals Consumer health information services in public libraries in Canada and the US

2008 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Murray
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Consumer Health Information ◽  
Information Services ◽  
Information Resources ◽  
Consumer Health ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Us ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Health Information Resources

In response to a growing demand from the public for health information resources, North American public libraries have provided varying levels of consumer health information (CHI) services since the 1970s. Due to the availability of funding in the US, many American public libraries have provided CHI services, although the majority of these have been as partnerships with health sciences libraries or via the “Go Local” programs. In Canada, where no specific funding has been available for CHI services, few public libraries have set up CHI services; health information has generally been provided by augmenting health collections or “virtually,” i.e., by providing links to recommended electronic resources via the library’s Web site.

Research on consumers' health information consultation patterns

2020 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-42
Author(s):  
Dan Wu ◽  
Hao Xu ◽  
Shu Fan
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Information Behavior ◽  
Consumer Health Information ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Consumer Health ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Wide Range

PurposeThis paper aims to identify consumers' health information consultation patterns by analyzing information sources to better understand consumers' health information needs and behavior in the context of multisource health information.Design/methodology/approachHaodaifu Online, an online health consultation (OHC) website in China, was used as a research data source, and 20,000 consultation cases were collected from the website with Python. After screening and cleaning, 1,601 consultation cases were included in this study. A content analysis-based mixed-methods research approach was applied to analyze these cases.FindingsThe results indicate that with the participation of OHC, there are 15 patterns of consumer health information consultation. Besides OHC, health information sources reported by consumers included medical institutions family/friends and the Internet. Consumers consult on a wide range of health issues including surgical conditions obstetrical and gynecological conditions and other 20 subjects. Consumers have multiple information needs when using OHC: getting prescriptions, diagnosing diseases, making appointments, understanding illnesses, confirming diagnoses and reviewing costs. Through further analysis it was found that consumers’ health information consultation patterns were also significantly different in health issues and health information needs.Originality/valueThis study broadens one’s understanding of consumer health information behavior, which contributes to the field of health information behavior, and also provides insight for OHC stakeholders to improve their services.

Hispanics and public libraries

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 85-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
EunYoung Yoo-Lee ◽  
Tamara Rhodes ◽  
Gabriel M. Peterson
Keyword(s):  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Consumer Health Information ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Consumer Health ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Low Health Literacy

Purpose The fastest-growing and the largest minority group in the USA, Hispanics are known to have low health literacy because of their limited English proficiency (LEP) and other socio-economic and cultural factors. This paper aims to examine the health information-seeking behaviors of Hispanics in the e-health environment and their use of public libraries as a health information source/service. Design/methodology/approach An interviewer-administered survey was conducted using a semi-structured instrument. The questionnaires inquired about Hispanics’ health information needs, source use and source preference; use of the library for health information needs; and their perceptions and satisfaction about the library’s consumer health information services. A total of 26 Hispanics were recruited from a Hispanic community organization, a public library and an ethnic grocery store in North Carolina. Findings The majority of the participants are foreign born (92.3 per cent) and non-English speakers (84.6 per cent). The internet was the most frequently used source, followed by friends/family, doctors and TV. Eighty-one per cent of the participants were internet users, and most of them (71 per cent) used the internet at home. Only 23 per cent visited a public library to search the internet for health information. Some barriers to using a public library mentioned by the participants include lack of time to visit a library, lack of skills in using the library materials, transportation, LEP, lack of eligibility for a library card, etc. Social implications The findings will be useful for libraries and state/federal health services to evaluate and develop library services suitable for the Hispanics’ consumer health information needs. Originality/value This study is one of a few studies that use an empirical study of a low health literacy ethnic population to examine the possible roles of public libraries in enhancing health literacy.

scholarly journals Cultivating a community of practice: the evolution of a health information specialists program for public librarians

2017 ◽  
Vol 105 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shari Clifton ◽  
Phill Jo ◽  
Jean Marie Longo ◽  
Tara Malone
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Consumer Health Information ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Consumer Health ◽  
Health And Wellness ◽  
Medical Library ◽  
Level I

Background: To help improve the culture of health in Oklahoma—a state that frequently ranks poorly on multiple measures of health and wellness—faculty librarians from an academic health sciences library sought to create a collaborative network of health information professionals in Oklahoma’s public libraries through the implementation of the Health Information Specialists Program.Case Presentation: Health sciences librarians offered a variety of consumer health information courses for public library staff across the state of Oklahoma for three years. Courses were approved by the Medical Library Association for credit toward the Consumer Health Information Specialization. A total of seventy-two participants from public libraries attended the courses, sixty-five achieved a Level I Consumer Health Information Specialization, and nine went on to achieve Level II.Conclusions: Feedback from participants in the Health Information Specialists Program has indicated a positive impact on the health information expertise of participants, who in turn have used the knowledge that they gained to help their patrons.

Provision of consumer health information in Alberta's Rural Public Libraries

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georges Danhoundo ◽  
Doug Whistance-Smith ◽  
Daniel Lemoine ◽  
Jill Konkin
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Consumer Health Information ◽  
Consumer Health

scholarly journals Using focus groups to evaluate a multiyear consumer health outreach collaboration

2021 ◽  
Vol 109 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tara Malone ◽  
Shari Clifton
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Consumer Health Information ◽  
Consumer Health ◽  
Framework Analysis ◽  
Personal Lives ◽  
The Impact

Objectives: Academic health sciences librarians sought to evaluate the efficacy and future of the Health Information Specialists Program, a five-year consumer health information outreach collaboration with public libraries across the state.Methods: Five focus groups were held with participants from all five years of the program. Thirty-four participants from the program attended. Facilitators used structured interview guides consisting of eleven questions regarding the impact of the collaboration on participants’ abilities to connect themselves or others to health information; the usefulness of materials or knowledge gained and its applications; any consumer health outreach projects that arose from the program; and suggestions for future topics, formats, or modifications. Data was hand-coded and analyzed using the framework analysis methodology for qualitative research.Results: Participants reported feeling improved confidence and comfort in providing health information services to their patrons. Numerous instances of knowledge transfer—in their personal lives, with their colleagues, and for their patrons—were described. Participants reported improved abilities to both find and evaluate consumer health information, and many adapted class materials for their own programming or teaching. Suggestions were provided for future class topics as well as a program website.Conclusion: Based on data from the five focus groups, the Health Information Specialists Program has positively impacted participants in a number of ways. Primary among these were self-reported improvement in both health information retrieval skills and the ability to evaluate the reliability of health information online, as well as in the confidence to help patrons with their health information needs.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document