Martha Earl

Impact of a Consumer and Patient Health Information Service on User Satisfaction, Attitudes, and Patient-Health Care Professional Interactions

The main goal of this project was to evaluate a consumer and patient information service and its impact on attitudes, health care decision making, and health care professional-patient communication. A survey was distributed to users of a well-established CAPHIS and was returned at a rate of 39 percent (n = 271). Sixty-six percent of respondent said that the information helped them to communicate better with health care professionals and 63.84 percent said they discussed the information they received with a health care professional. The information reduced stress for respondent or their families 52.24 percent; there also was an impact on “treatment” (27.68 percent), “attitude toward health” (25.83 percent), and “life style habits” (21.40 percent). These finding indicate that CAPHIS continues to be valued by participants, despite widespread Internet access, and that it impacts attitudes, communications, and diagnosis, treatment, and lifestyle choices.

Improving an Outreach Service by Analyzing the Relationship of Health Information Disparities to Socioeconomic Indicators Using Geographic Information Systems

INTRODUCTIONThe use of geographic information systems (GIS) withUS Census data provides libraries with the power tocombine, analyze, and present information in newways. GIS is a valuable tool capable of ‘‘capturing,storing, analyzing, and displaying geographicallyreferenced information’’ [1]. GIS software combinesmaps with layers of associated data to provide avisual picture that allows greater understanding andanalysis than static figures and tables. Although thesoftware was expensive in the past, GIS has becomeincreasingly more affordable for libraries since it hasbecome available in web-based applications, includ-ing open source options [2].Libraries began incorporating US Census data withGIS when the 1990 census materials were given tothe US federal depository libraries as Topological-ly Integrated Geographic Encoding and Reference(TIGER) files [3]. TIGER files are a set of geographicbase files that contain features of the United Statesdown to the street level and census boundaries forcensus statistical areas. TIGER files are designed foruse with GIS software and include geographic codesthat can be linked with demographic and socioeco-nomic data from American Fact Finder (AFF) and theAmerican Community Survey (ACS) [4, 5]. All TIGER,AFF, and ACS files and data are free to the public.Combined with US Census data, GIS is particularlyuseful for libraries in the area of service planning. Forexample, the Public Library Geographic Databasehas compiled US Census demographics on all 16,000public libraries in order to assist decision makers inlibrary planning [6]. Other examples of the use of GISand US Census data include analyzing service mapsfor proposed branches [7], mapping service areas [8],analyzing demographics of populations surroundingthe library [9, 10], analyzing market segmentation[11], and establishing a public library consumer healthcollection [12].In 2011, the Preston Medical Library, in Knoxville,Tennessee, conducted research using GIS and USCensus data. Our goal was to analyze demographicand socioeconomic patterns in order to improvehealth literacy information outreach through our freetelephone-based Consumer and Patient Health Infor-mation Service (CAPHIS). The library’s free tele-phone-based CAPHIS has been in place for overtwo decades, and call data are maintained in an SQLdatabase. The library staff responds to calls to theCAPHIS by mailing packets of health information atthe appropriate literacy level to the caller. The Pres-ton Medical Library provides a useful alternative forthose individuals who do not have Internet access ormay need additional assistance because of limitedhealth literacy and socioeconomic disparities.Several studies have examined the relationship ofsocioeconomic factors and limited health literacy toincreased health costs, chronic disease, and morbidity[13–16]. Health information through libraries is valu-able and can affect consumer health care decisions.Consumers who use libraries for health informationreport positive health actions such as lifestyle changesand compliance with physician instructions [17, 18].However, consumers with low health literacy andcompounding socioeconomic factors are often notaware of the services provided by libraries. Outreachis conducted by libraries to address these disparitiesand provide information services to those surround-ing communities most in need.RESEARCH BACKGROUNDIn 2003, an SQL database was created that containsinformation regarding consumer calls to CAPHIS.Data on calls from 1998 to the present include thecaller’s name, address, and health information re-quest. Although the names and addresses are kept inseparate tables for privacy, the zip codes of theaddresses can be used to establish geographic localitythat can be plotted on a state map and calculated toestablish a rate and area of calls by zip code. Therequested health topics, which are in keyword forminitially, are subsequently indexed by library staffusing the National Library of Medicine’s (NLM’s)Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) in order to becross-referenced with existing information regardingprevalence of diseases in the state that is madeavailable by the Tennessee Department of Health [19].

Surveying hospital nurses to discover educational needs and preferences

Objective The author investigated the educational needs of nurses in an American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet hospital to determine topics of interest, instruction time and delivery preferences, and interest in a research information skills certificate provided by the library. Methods A 9-question survey was distributed to 1,500 nursing staff of the hospital through email. Results Surveys were completed by 865 respondents, which represented a response rate of 58%. The majority of respondents were registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and paramedics (81%), and day-shift workers (65%). For education topics, nursing staff placed the highest priority on finding health-related mobile apps for professionals and developing evidence-based research skills. For mode of delivery, respondents expressed a preference for unit-based in-service, computer-based tutorials, and hands-on computer training. Most (70%) respondents expressed an interest in participating in a research information skills certificate program. Conclusions Our survey results reveal an avenue for reinvigorating and updating the library’s educational program to match the needs of nursing staff and may offer valuable insight for other libraries seeking to do the same.

Investigating Mobile Device Use by Medical Residents, Nurses, and Consumers

Preston Medical Library is an academic medical center library serving the University of Tennessee (UT) Graduate School of Medicine and the UT Medical Center. The librarys users are beginning to adopt mobile technology in their work. Consequently, to increase the librarys relevancy to this mobile population, the library began a program of classes on health-related mobile apps tailored to medical residents, students, and faculty, in addition to a separate class aimed at the general public. The library put in place a process to study user preferences for mobile apps, and the results of these classes, by surveying participants. Results showed that health professionals valued particular apps and were increasing usage.

Consumer Health Web Sites in Asian and Pacific Islander Languages

Finding reliable, up-to-date consumer health information written in Asian or Pacific Islander languages can be difficult for librarians, to say nothing of the difficulties experienced by speakers of these languages when they seek health information. A number of high-quality, reliable sources that provide consumer health information are available on the Internet at no cost. This article reviews several of these Asian language health sites that were selected based on their ease of use and the quality of health information provided. While there are many web sources that provide handouts and other materials for the Asian language speaker, nearly all require some knowledge of English to navigate to the needed content. Thus, the Asian language speaker with low English literacy will need the aid of a librarian, health care professional, or family member to make the best use of these materials.

The Impact of Library Resources and Services on the Scholarly Activity of Medical Faculty and Residents

ABSTRACT Librarians at an academic medical center library gathered data to determine if library services and resources impacted scholarly activity. A survey was developed and sent out to faculty and residents asking how they used the library during scholarly activity. Sixty-five faculty members and residents responded to the survey. The majority of respondents involved with scholarly activity use the library’s services and resources. PubMed is the most frequently used database. The positive results show the library impacts the scholarly activity of medical faculty and residents.

Health Information Without Limits: A Print Collection for Consumers in the Heart of the Hospital

ABSTRACT The Health Information Center at the University of Tennessee Medical Center developed a consumer level print collection for patients, family members, and community visitors. Librarians utilized MLA Collection Development and Consumer and Patient Health Information Sections lists, vendor and consumer recommended lists, and Library Journal and other review sources. With input from key administrators for the six Centers of Excellence at the Medical Center, physicians, nurses, and pharmacists, 200 titles were selected and reviewed for appropriateness. The print collection is used in-house and regularly checked out by patients, family members, and the hospital community.

Perspectives in Medical Geography: Theory and Applications for Librarians, Cardiac Drugs: An Evidence-Based Approach and Atlanta's Living Legacy: A History of Grady Memorial Hospital and Its People.

The editors are Kanu Chatterjee, clinical professor of medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, and emeritus professor of medicine, University of California–San Francisco; and Eric J. Topol, professor of translational genomics, Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Scripps Research Institute, California. Chatterjee and Topol have recruited contributing authors, sixteen cardiologists and one pharmacist, from academic medical centers in Iowa, California, Ohio, and Minnesota. The editors intend to provide an evidence-based approach to the drugs used to treat specified clinical conditions in cardiovascular medicine. Heart failure, acute coronary syndromes, and pulmonary hypertension receive the strongest emphasis. Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone blocking medications, positive-inotropic agents, diuretics, and antihypertensive drugs are discussed in extensive detail, including pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, indications, contraindications, and dosages. Drugs in development are noted. The editors assert that the unique feature of the book is the detailed discussion of the guidelines of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association for the use of pharmacologic agents in various clinical conditions. An appendix with the full text of those guidelines and related book sections could have strengthened that focus. The first chapter, “Angiotensin, Aldosterone, and Renin Inhibition in Cardiovascular Disease,” provides a sound foundation with a discussion of the relevant pathophysiology and the validity of inclusive key studies. Chapter 2 proceeds with an in-depth analysis of “Positive Inotropic Drugs: A Limited but Important Role.” The chapter on antihypertensive drugs, coauthored by Chatterjee, includes highly detailed charts and a comprehensive literature review. This particular chapter includes a multitude of tables and more than eighty pages of text. Diuretics are covered separately in the next chapter. Chapters 5 through 11 focus on drugs for the most common cardiac conditions: dyslipidemias, diabetes and cardiodysmetabolic syndrome, acute coronary syndromes, dysrhythmia, heart failure, stable angina, and pulmonary hypertension. The text continues with a valuable chapter on cardiac drugs in pregnancy and lactation, noting that cardiac disease in pregnancy involves unique challenges and solutions. The last chapter by Topol on “Future Directions: The Role of Genetics in Drug Therapy” is disappointingly a two-page commentary with no references. Designed to provide easy-to-follow information with practical therapeutic guidance for clinicians, the book succeeds in presenting full-color illustrations, layout, and numerous tables. The literature reviews in general do not reflect an emphasis on the most current studies. The chapters lack consistency in depth of coverage, although that might not deter their usefulness. The index does not include abbreviations or cross-references but does helpfully distinguish figures and tables for quicker reference. Most of the figures and diagrams complement the ease of use as a handbook. The strength of this publication is in its visual presentations and in the chapters that succeed in presenting the more recent evidence in a convenient format for busy clinicians. This title is recommended for health sciences libraries serving medical and pharmacy schools, for hospital libraries, and for graduate schools educating advanced practice nurses and physician assistants. It is not recommended as a first purchase selection. Libraries and learners would find other concise clinical handbooks more useful, such as the eighth edition of Drugs for the Heart by Lionel H. Opie and Bernard J. Gersh (Saunders; 2013. ISBN: 978-1-4557-3322-4). As a secondary purchase, this title would also complement the more extensive Manual of Cardiovascular Medicine by Brian P. Griffin (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2012. ISBN: 978-1-4511-3160-4) and Mayo Clinic Cardiology: Concise Textbook by Joseph G. Murphy and Margaret A. Lloyd (Oxford University Press; 2012. ISBN: 978-0-1999-1571-2).

Libraries Respond to Mobile Ubiquity: Research and Assessment of Mobile Device Usage Trends for Academic and Medical Libraries

The authors consider trends in mobile device usage for the Internet as a whole, for EBSCO Discovery Service across all client libraries, and at two specific libraries: Preston Medical Library, serving the University of Tennessee (UT) Graduate School of Medicine and UT Medical Center, and the Joyner Library at East Carolina University, serving students and faculty on the main campus. Librarians at Preston Medical Library conducted a survey to determine which mobile devices, platforms, and apps were used by their patrons in 2012. East Carolina University piloted an iPad and e-reader lending program in 2010–2011. The results of each are being used to guide service planning related to mobile applications, education, and support. Institutions Represented EBSCO Discovery Service, EBSCO Information Services EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS) is a unified platform used by libraries globally to access subject indexes, full text and libraries’ catalogs, and collections within a customizable discovery layer experience. For the purposes of this article, EDS provides a unique view into mobile usage trends across a very large data set of libraries from January 2012 to October 2013. East Carolina University East Carolina University is a public doctoral degree-granting institution with a medical and dental school and is the third largest university in the University of North Carolina (UNC) system (more than 26,000 students). There are a wide variety of academic programs with strengths in education (historically, ECU began as a teacher’s college), marine history and sciences (coastal region is nearby), and strong fine arts departments. ECU is the only research institution east of I-95 and serves as an anchor for communities in that region through strong distance education services. Because ECU has been a pioneer in distance education, the institution expects faculty and staff to adopt new technologies early; a willingness to try experiment is definitely part of the culture. University of Tennessee The University of Tennessee Medical Center (UTMC) is an academic medical center located in Knoxville, Tennessee. UTMC is a 581-bed teaching hospital, a Level 1 Trauma Center, and, additionally, an ANCC Magnet certified hospital. The University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine is housed within the medical center, with 218 physician faculty providing training for 206 medical residents. Preston Medical Library, with five professional librarians, three professional staff, and six student assistants serves both the hospital and the residency

Database Review: PubMed Health

PubMed Health is a free resource maintained by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) for the purpose of gathering systematic reviews of clinical trials. The resource attempts to answer the question of what works when diagnosing and treating diseases and other medical conditions. Information is provided for both clinicians and consumers, and there are additional resources including a medical dictionary and a drug database.