Lynda M. Baker

Library and information science practitioners and research

Abstract There is a continuing need for more and better research in the field of library and information science (LIS). However, many LIS practitioners are not heavily involved in research. To add to our knowledge of practitioners’ involvement in research, 1,444 questionnaires were sent to members of the American Library Association, the American Society for Information Science and Technology, the Medical Library Association, and the Special Libraries Association. An analysis of 615 responses revealed the following: almost 90% of LIS practitioners in the United States and Canada regularly read at least one research journal, nearly 62% regularly read research-based articles, approximately 50% occasionally apply research results to professional practices, and 42% occasionally or frequently perform research related to their job or to the LIS profession. The data analysis also identified factors related to practitioners’ involvement in research and determined how practitioners assess their research training and skills.

Exiting Prostitution: An Integrated Model

Exiting street-level prostitution is a complex, convoluted process. Few studies have described this process within any formal conceptual framework. This article reviews two general models and two prostitution-specific models and their applicability to the exiting process. Barriers encountered as women attempt to leave the streets are identified. Based on the four models, the barriers, the prostitution literature, and the authors’ experience with prostituted women, a new integrated six-stage model that is comprehensive in scope and sensitive to women’s attempts to exit prostitution is offered as a foundation for continued research on the process of women leaving the streets.

A study of the nature of information needed by women with multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disease with an unpredictable course and no known cause or cure. Coping strategies of people with MS may yield insights into their information needs and information-seeking behaviors. This study of information needs was based on Millers theory of information seeking, which states that some people (monitors) cope by actively seeking information, while others (blunters) reject information. Ninety-three women were classified through the Miller Behavioral Style Scale as either monitors or blunters and also by the length of time since diagnosis. They were asked to assess a general or a specific pamphlet on one of two topics (fatigue or treatment for acute attacks). More monitors than blunters rated the pamphlet they had received as relevant, regardless of the nature of the information. This study contributes to the development of a methodology for studying information needs and information-seeking behaviors and suggests a new area of research for those in library and information science.

An Exploratory Study of the Health Problems, Stigmatization, Life Satisfaction, and Literacy Skills of Urban, Street-Level Sex Workers

ABSTRACT An exploratory study of 26 female urban, street-level sex workers was conducted to gather information about their health problems, feelings of stigmatization, satisfaction with life, and literacy skills. Each woman completed the health questionnaire, Stigmatization Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine. Twenty-one women had acute or chronic health problems; only eleven sought health care. Literacy scores revealed 7th to 8th grade reading levels. Feelings of stigmatization varied from low to high and all the women were found to be dissatisfied with their lives. Further research needs to address how these factors affect their use of health care and outreach services.

Women in Street-based Prostitution A Typology of their Work Styles

Women engaged in street-based prostitution have been studied from a number of perspectives. Little research was found that focused on their work styles. This study was conducted to gain a better understanding of work styles of women involved in street-based prostitution in the Midwest. Of the 53 women interviewed, 12 were or had been involved in Pimp-Controlled prostitution. In Renegade prostitution were 27 women who worked as independent entrepreneurs and were interested in building a substantial client base. The remaining 14 women, involved in Outlaw prostitution, hustled, manipulated, and exploited their customers. Each work style has its own unique features, such as language, ethical behavior, and amount of control over their work activities. Understanding the work styles of prostitute women adds to the body of literature on women involved in street-based prostitution and provides some implications for social work practice and future research.

Healthcare information delivery in public libraries: implications for academic reference librarians

Changes in the US healthcare system in the past 20 years have meant increasing pressure on consumers to find their own healthcare information. Their search, amid an ever‐widening array of information resources, has profound implications for library reference services. A recent study of 350 public librarians in Michigan is, to date, the only investigation of librarian practices in health information provision in a large region of the USA. Examines services, queries, problems, librarian training and health collection resources. The findings have special meaning for academic librarians as they delineate their unique role in the health information system and, with public librarians, seek to devise effective means for responsive library service in today’s competitive health information resources environment.

Preference for physicians as information providers by women with multiple sclerosis: a potential cause for communication problems?

Communication problems between physicians and people with chronic diseases may result from many causes. A brief description of some causes is provided. The focus of this article concerns the information‐seeking patterns of women with multiple sclerosis (MS). A survey method was used to determine whether a woman‘s general orientation to information (monitoring, or actively seeking infor mation; blunting, or turning away from information) or the length of time she had had MS affected her choice of human resource from whom she preferred to receive both medical and non‐medical information on a variety of topics related to multiple sclerosis. Although both monitors and blunters indicated physicians as the preferred source of medical as well as non‐medical information, the results revealed that monitors preferred physicians more often than did blunters. The length of time a woman had had MS was not a major factor affecting her choice of physicians. The use of physicians as a resource for both medical and non‐me...

Developing end-of-life interdisciplinary programs in universitywide settings.

Interdisciplinary programs in end of life are widely discussed as valuable, particularly approaches to end-of-life care. Despite this emphasis, interdisciplinary programs have not been easy to implement. In universities, the implementation of interdisciplinary programs encounters administrative obstacles, including credit for the time spent in these group efforts and “ownership” of interdisciplinary courses (IDCs). This article details the process of development and the activities of an end-of-life interdisciplinary program at one urban university with a major medical center. The issues faced in the first year are examined. These included trust, group identity, and communication. The lessons from the first-year activities are presented and efforts of the second year described.

Helping victims of prostitution and trafficking: It takes a community

Child sex trafficking and adult women involved in street-based prostitution are two problems affecting the city of Toledo, Ohio. While various agencies worked independently to address these problems, there was no collaborative effort. We decided to organize a year-long roundtable that included people from Toledo-based social service, criminal justice, and health care systems, as well as concerned citizens, church groups, and survivors of prostitution. Our intent was to develop responses that were specific and sensitive not only to the needs of prostituted women and trafficked teens, but also to service providers and members of the community. In this article, we report on our project, its accomplishments, and lessons learned. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved). (journal abstract)

Psychometric Properties and Construct Validity of the Knowledge Information Profile–Coumadin

Background: Oral anticoagulation therapy using Coumadin (warfarin) requires significant patient involvement. Limited validated instruments exist to test patient knowledge of Coumadin, and low health literacy may impede patient self-management. Objective: This article reports the psychometric testing of the Knowledge Information Profile–Coumadin (KIP-C20) to determine (a) minimum number of items and dimensions, (b) reliability, and (c) construct validity. Methods: Participants (N = 192) were recruited from outpatient pharmacist-directed anticoagulation clinics associated with an urban teaching hospital in the Midwest United States. Instruments were the Animal Naming test (AN), Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM), and KIP-C20. Multidimensional item response theory modeling and exploratory factor analyses were used to determine the best fitting model. Results: The final instrument, renamed KIP-C14, with 3 factors and 14 items, had a good fit to data (M2 = 96.49, P < .0001; root mean square error of approximation = .04), and all factor loadings were .3 or larger. Internal consistency reliability was .65; test–retest correlation was .67. The KIP-C14 correlated positively, as expected, with years of Coumadin treatment. Subscales were differentially correlated with sociodemographic variables. Conclusions: The KIP-C14 had nearly identical, slightly higher reliability than the KIP-C20. Still, reliability was lower than expected, indicating a promising clinical assessment scale in need of further refinement.