Health Information and Libraries Journal最新文献

Tracey Pratchett, Regular Feature Editor, outlines the requirements of the new Practice-Based Studies regular feature (formerly Dissertations into Practice). She discusses why the feature has changed and how it will increase the value of short features, providing a broader remit which will appeal to students, early career professionals and those new to publishing who want to share findings which may affect practice. This article also includes a short vignette from Katy Greenfield discussing the benefits of publishing their outputs from an apprenticeship project.

Marking the end of an era as Jeannette Murphy steps down as Editor of the International Perspectives and Initiatives Regular Feature, Dr. Maria Grant (Editor-in-Chief) acknowledges, with thanks, Jeannette's 28 years association with the Health Information and Libraries Journal.

Background: Pakistan is a densely populated South Asian country. It is facing numerous health challenges, as well as problems of the digital divide. The government of Pakistan established e-libraries as a pilot project in 2018. These libraries are functioning through community centers/public libraries in the largest province of the country.

Objective: This paper examines the role of Pakistani e-libraries in creating health awareness and providing health information to the public.

Methods: The qualitative research design was based on focus group discussions with the head librarians of all 13 of the 20 e-libraries contacted.

Results: The findings revealed that e-libraries actively create health-related awareness and connect the public to health advisors. The e-libraries were engaged in four types of health-related activities (seminars, awareness campaigns, open health camps, and special health day celebrations) with high attendance from the public. Attendees of these programs returned to librarians with additional health-related queries.

Conclusions: The study suggests a need for more liaison between the community and local healthcare institutions. This approach can make these programs more effective in helping individuals manage their health. The results of this study can serve as a useful guide for other developing nations in developing similar services.

This article outlines the development of 'Prepare to Progress', a preapplication programme for potential Student Nursing Associate (SNA) applicants at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Created collaboratively by the Trust's Library and Knowledge Services and Professional Education teams, the programme aims to provide realistic course expectations, teach study skills and boost confidence in using library services. Evaluation results indicate increased understanding of the SNA course, improved application decision-making, and enhanced academic confidence among participants. The programme demonstrates the valuable role of library services in preparing healthcare support workers for further education and addressing library anxiety. The study suggests benefits for both participants and library services.

Background: During the coronavirus pandemic, misinformation was circulated through technology and social media on a large scale. Since people rely on media to keep connected and informed, misinformation can prevent them from staying safe.

Objectives: To examine the quality of information reaching Pakistanis, the effect of information/misinformation on people's perception, and its relationship with risky health behaviours in different demographical groups.

Methods: A community sample of N= 103 Pakistanis was assessed using a mixed-method cross-sectional survey research design to investigate their sources of knowledge/information, perceptions of coronavirus-related facts, and risky health behaviours.

Results: Content analysis of the material that participants read/watched indicated the possible effect of media on people's perception of COVID-19. Specific demography (e.g., increasing age) and people's tendency to believe misinformation/information may indicate risky health behaviours pertaining to coronavirus infection.

Discussion: Findings showed how the models considered (social cognitive theory, biological warfare conspiracy theory, theory of planned behaviour, protection motivation theory, the health belief model, and biopsychosocial model) may be relevant to examination of the effects of misinformation on different demographic groups.

Conclusion: The findings and models need to be verified on larger, more representative samples of Pakistanis using a large-scale survey based on the insights obtained from this pilot study.

Core collections have been produced by CILIP's Health Libraries Group, then called the Library Association's Medical Section, since 1952. Maintained by a Working Group of health librarians based in the UK NHS, higher education and specialist libraries, the collections provide an up-to-date curated list of reliable titles essential to health libraries. The core collections currently include nursing, midwifery, medicine and dentistry. The newest core collection is being developed in collaboration with the African Hospital Libraries to provide a list of key resources relevant to sub-Saharan Africa. Expressions of interest to help develop this latest collection are invited.

The study is a part of a student research project on performance-based evaluation of big data application in health sciences libraries. It presents a theoretical framework of the performance-based evaluation system for health institutes' libraries in the digital environment. The health sciences libraries' systematic approach was judged based on the five main components (data culture, organisational infrastructure, responsibilities, skills and technology competence) of big data analytics (BDA). A comprehensive literature review of the published studies was undertaken related to BDA, including the diffusion of innovation theory, and the theoretical background of the technology acceptance model to produce an application-based big data development framework for the health sciences libraries. The application-based evaluation model integrates BDA in health sciences libraries for improving library services and performance. The study proposed a need for skilled professionals with the knowledge and experience both professionally and technically. Finally, the study proposed a model that will help to measure the organisation's ability to analyse vast amounts of data to empirically validate the association concerning big data analysis and analytical practices in health libraries.

The International Perspectives and Initiatives Regular Feature seeks to expand the Health Information and Libraries Journal's global coverage of health library and knowledge practice. The current focus of this Regular Feature is how health library and knowledge services are responding to technological advances.

Background: Libraries provide public access to information that may be used to inform healthcare decisions. Exploring the health information needs of library-users could improve community health outcomes, especially during times of crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify the health information needs of library-users to explore the potential role of libraries in advancing community health.

Methods: A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional survey was employed.

Results: One hundred and fifty participants in the (Memphis) Tennessee metropolitan area, ranging from 18 to 84 years of age, completed the survey between September 2020 and April 2021. Most respondents reported seeking physical and mental health-related information from libraries. In addition, nearly half of respondents reported delaying medical care due to risk of exposure to COVID-19, cost or appointment issues.

Discussion: Study results indicated that there were urgent health information needs among library-users in this community, that COVID-19 further limited or delayed access to information, and that library-users accessed health information during library visits.

Conclusion: Public libraries have the potential to serve as information hubs to improve community health outcomes. Additional research should be conducted to collect qualitative community health information needs and the ways in which public library systems can address them.