scholarly journals Developing health information literacy in disengaged at-risk populations

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 172-189
Author(s):  
Steven Buchanan ◽  
Emma Nicol
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Information Need ◽  
Content Type ◽  
At Risk Populations ◽  
Survey Interviews ◽  
Family Nurses

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to advance our understanding of the challenges of health information literacy (IL) education in disadvantaged and disengaged at-risk populations; and from the perspective of professionals out with information professions occupying everyday support roles.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative in-depth case study. The participants were a team of UK Family Nurses providing outreach support to young expectant mothers from areas of multiple deprivations, and the mothers themselves. The data collection methods were observation, survey, interviews and focus groups.FindingsInformation needs of mothers are multiple, and not always recognised as information problems, or revealed. Several felt overwhelmed, and actively avoided health information. There is low awareness and/or use of state sources of online health information. Family nurses provide an important information intermediary role, but are unfamiliar with IL concepts and models; consequently, there is limited evidence of client transitions to independent information seeking, or underpinning pedagogical practices to achieve such goals.Research limitations/implicationsFurther research is required into appropriate pedagogical approaches to IL education adaptable to semi-structured everyday situations. Recognition of information need requires particular attention, including methods of elicitation and specification in the problematic context.Practical implicationsIn an era of digital transitions and public service reforms, the authors raise important questions regarding the true reach of public health policy.Originality/valueThe paper holistically examines nurse–client information behaviours, and extends the discussion of low IL in nurses beyond issues of evidence-based practice to issues of developing healthcare self-efficacy in at-risk clients.

Information needs of breast cancer patients and how educational status influence their information needs in Ghana

2021 ◽  
pp. 096100062098161
Author(s):  
Benedicta Boadi ◽  
George Tesilimi Banji ◽  
Patrick Adzobu ◽  
Stephen Okyere
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Educational Status ◽  
Health Facilities ◽  
Military Hospital ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Breast Cancer Patients

Health information literacy plays a critical role in self-management practices among patients living with chronic health conditions. However, there are limited studies on information needs among breast cancer patients in Ghana. This paper therefore investigated the information needs of women living with breast cancer in Ghana and how educational status influenced their information needs. The study was conducted in two health facilities in Accra, Ghana (37 Military Hospital and Sweden Ghana Medical Centre). A total of 75 breast cancer patients were conveniently selected from the two health facilities for the study. The instrument used to elicit relevant data for this study was a questionnaire using the survey design. Data was analysed descriptively. The findings of the study revealed that the information needs of the breast cancer patients investigated were centred mainly around treatment and management information and less around preventive information. The patients also ranked diagnostic information as their highest need, followed by physical care information, treatment information, psychosocial information and disease-specific information in that order. Patients with higher education reported higher information need on all the five domains compared to those with lower education. The study therefore recommended that management of health facilities make health information literacy an integral component of their treatment and management of breast cancer.

An interactive query-based approach for summarizing scientific documents

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Farnoush Bayatmakou ◽  
Azadeh Mohebi ◽  
Abbas Ahmadi
Keyword(s):  
User Satisfaction ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Information Need ◽  
Science Data ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Interactive Query ◽  
Summarization System ◽  
Clear Idea

Purpose Query-based summarization approaches might not be able to provide summaries compatible with the user’s information need, as they mostly rely on a limited source of information, usually represented as a single query by the user. This issue becomes even more challenging when dealing with scientific documents, as they contain more specific subject-related terms, while the user may not be able to express his/her specific information need in a query with limited terms. This study aims to propose an interactive multi-document text summarization approach that generates an eligible summary that is more compatible with the user’s information need. This approach allows the user to interactively specify the composition of a multi-document summary. Design/methodology/approach This approach exploits the user’s opinion in two stages. The initial query is refined by user-selected keywords/keyphrases and complete sentences extracted from the set of retrieved documents. It is followed by a novel method for sentence expansion using the genetic algorithm, and ranking the final set of sentences using the maximal marginal relevance method. Basically, for implementation, the Web of Science data set in the artificial intelligence (AI) category is considered. Findings The proposed approach receives feedback from the user in terms of favorable keywords and sentences. The feedback eventually improves the summary as the end. To assess the performance of the proposed system, this paper has asked 45 users who were graduate students in the field of AI to fill out a questionnaire. The quality of the final summary has been also evaluated from the user’s perspective and information redundancy. It has been investigated that the proposed approach leads to higher degrees of user satisfaction compared to the ones with no or only one step of the interaction. Originality/value The interactive summarization approach goes beyond the initial user’s query, while it includes the user’s preferred keywords/keyphrases and sentences through a systematic interaction. With respect to these interactions, the system gives the user a more clear idea of the information he/she is looking for and consequently adjusting the final result to the ultimate information need. Such interaction allows the summarization system to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the user’s information needs while expanding context-based knowledge and guiding the user toward his/her information journey.

A conceptual approach to practitioners’ health information literacy

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 178-190
Author(s):  
Ann Hallyburton
Keyword(s):  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Information Behavior ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Research Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Behaviors

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine healthcare professionals’ own health literacy through the lenses of information behavior and evidence-based practice. These practitioners’ health information literacy is critical to client care. Design/methodology/approach This conceptual paper applies general and professional-specific models of information behavior and issues of bias to methods in which healthcare practitioners seek, evaluate and use research information within professional practice. Findings Case examples from library, medical and the broader healthcare literature are used to explore ways in which care professionals’ information behaviors align with or deviate from information behavior models and the role of different types of bias in their information behavior. Adaption of evidence-based practice precepts, already familiar to healthcare professionals, is proposed as a method to improve practitioners’ health information literacy. Originality/value Explorations of “health literacy” have primarily focused on healthcare consumers’ interactions with basic health information and services. The health literacy (and health information literacy) of care practitioners has received much less attention. By gaining a greater understanding of how information behaviors intersect with healthcare practitioners’ own health literacy, the librarians and educators who serve future and current care professionals can offer more informed information literacy instruction, enabling practitioners to provide improved patient care.

A call for libraries to go green

2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 428-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ina Fourie
Keyword(s):  
Information Literacy ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Information Need ◽  
Full Spectrum ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Behaviour ◽  
Environmental Friendly ◽  
Making A Difference ◽  
Information Literacy Skills

PurposeWhen confronted with a problem where the solution is not clear or obvious, a first step would be to search for more information, trying to make sense of the problem. The intention of this contribution is to make sense of the call for “libraries to go green”, while at the same time to show the potential of explicitly considering information behaviour and the need to draw on the full spectrum of information literacy skills (e.g. recognising and expressing an information need, seeking, using, and disseminating information) to stimulate librarians' interest and confidence in taking on the challenge of going green and making a difference.Design/methodology/approachThe column will be written against the background of research from information literacy, information behaviour, and research on sustainable and environmental friendly library and information (LIS) services.FindingsAlthough rather a limited number, publications on “going green” and the “paperless” library/society address a variety of issues ranging from planning “green” library buildings, to assessing the experiences of LIS professionals in developing sustainable “green libraries”, to information behaviour in using e‐books in academic contexts. Considering the finding and use of information on “going green”, from an information behaviour perspective, helps to bring many issues to consider in furthering research on “going green” to the front.Originality/valueAlthough much has been published about information behaviour and information literacy, and although attempts of publishing on various issues of “green” libraries are noted, the author is not aware of other work aligning these issues.

Support your staff employees: they support the academy

2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 165-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue Samson ◽  
Kimberly Swanson
Keyword(s):  
Information Literacy ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Administrative Support ◽  
Academic Support ◽  
Support Staff ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Outreach Program ◽  
Student Interactions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Academic Settings

Purpose – The aim of this paper was to serve both as an informational tool identifying library services and resources and as a mechanism to gather input from campus staff to inform outreach services. Design/methodology/approach – Surveys were distributed to all non-faculty and non-administrative support staff. Questions included direct choice and open-ended responses in four categories: demographics; general library use; information needs; and student interactions. Findings – The results confirm that knowledge and awareness of the library can empower staff employees and that support staff are eager to learn about and use library resources and services. The results give guidance to liaison librarians to facilitate an effective outreach program to improve the ability of support staff to do their work and to share information with the students and faculty with whom they come into contact. Research limitations/implications – While these survey findings cannot be extrapolated to all academic settings, they build on similar research and authenticate the significance of library outreach to academic support staff. Practical implications – Enormous potential exists in adapting these survey findings to expand information literacy programs across the academy. Originality/value – Academic support staff are a frequently untapped user group whose information needs are essential to the academy. This case study highlights the value of staff outreach within the context of extending the Library Instruction Program by enhancing the information literacy skills of personnel who are in frequent contact with students and faculty across the campus.

Identifying health information needs of senior online communities users: a text mining approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-24
Author(s):  
Yuxing Qian ◽  
Wenxuan Gui
Keyword(s):  
Chinese Medicine ◽  
Traditional Chinese Medicine ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Online Communities ◽  
Western Medicine ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Information Services ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Medical Systems ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to identify the health information needs of senior online communities (SOCs) users, which could provide a basis for improving senior health information services.Design/methodology/approachA total of 14,933 health-related posts in the two most popular senior online communities (Yinling and Keai) in China are crawled as a corpus. Based on the results of word frequency analysis, text classification is performed based on two aspects: medical systems (Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine) and topics. The health information needs of SOCs users are revealed from the composition, growth trends and popularity of health information. Finally, some key points of senior health information services are discussed.FindingsThe health information needs of senior users can be divided into four types: coping with aging, dietary nutrition, physical exercise and mental health. These needs are comprehensive and involve a variety of health issues. Users are mainly concerned with physical health issues. In terms of medical systems, the number of Western medicine posts is relatively larger, whereas traditional Chinese medicine appears more in posts on coping with aging and physical exercise. The health information needs of SOCs users are in a stable status. Both the medical systems and topics could have an impact on the popularity of health information, but the number of posts is inconsistent with the level of popularity.Originality/valueThis study combines multiple perspectives to identify the health information needs of seniors in China with a comprehensive overview.

scholarly journals Stranger in a strange land; enabling information resilience in resettlement landscapes

2015 ◽  
Vol 71 (5) ◽  
pp. 1029-1042 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annemaree Lloyd
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Knowledge Bases ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Literacy Practice ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Practices ◽  
New Information ◽  
Concept Of Information

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to introduce and explore the concept of information resilience. Design/methodology/approach – The concept of information resilience emerges from a qualitative study that explored the health information experience and information practices of resettling refugees. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were employed and the data collected were analysed using an grounded theory approach. Findings – The present study describes information resilience as an outcome of information literacy practice. As an emerging concept information resilience has the potential to focus research attention towards the critical role that information and information practices such as information literacy have in supporting people whose knowledge bases, social networks and information landscapes have become disrupted during transition. Practical implications – Public libraries role in support the development of information resilience is considered. Social implications – The paper draws from a study of the health information experiences of refugees during resettlement (Lloyd, 2014). The concept of information resilience emerges as an outcome of information literacy practice, for people whose knowledge base has become disrupted; and, who because of this disruption, must engage with new information environments and construct new information landscapes to rebuild social capital and bridge the transition into a new community. Originality/value – Introduces the concept of information resilience as a focal point for investigating transition from an information studies perspective.

Refugee and immigrant health information needs

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-171
Author(s):  
Margaret Zimmerman ◽  
Heather Beam
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Health Information Seeking ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Information Requirements ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Immigrant And Refugee ◽  
Information Seeking Behaviors

Purpose The purpose of this article is to provide insight into the HISB of this group. Immigrants and refugees are at a heightened risk for negative health outcomes upon resettlement. However, little scholarship reports on the health information-seeking behaviors and information needs of this population. Design/methodology/approach This study reports the findings of a study into the health information-seeking behaviors of 85 immigrant and refugee women. Women were asked to fill out a survey in their native language with both multiple choice and open-ended questions that requested information on what health information they required the most, which means they used to get it and paired this with demographic information. Findings In their own words, the participants reported information requirements regarding dental care, nutrition, general, reproductive and child health, as well as assistance in navigating the healthcare system. However, they believed that medical professionals are the most reliable sources of information and that they frequently turned to less credible sources such as friends and family or the internet. This may be because of their self-reported barriers of language and cost, as wells difficulty in understanding how to obtain information in the USA. What sources the participants used and what their informational needs were was influenced by their age, education and time living in the USA. Some comparisons are made with a group of local women in a similar study conducted concurrently by the author. Originality/value The research presented in this study provides a clearer understanding of the health information requirements and behaviors of refugee and immigrant women.

scholarly journals An integrated model highlighting information literacy and knowledge formation in information behaviour

2017 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 316-334
Author(s):  
Samuel Kelechukwu Ibenne ◽  
Boyka Simeonova ◽  
Janet Harrison ◽  
Mark Hepworth
Keyword(s):  
Information Literacy ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Knowledge Generation ◽  
Sense Making ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Model ◽  
Information Behaviour ◽  
Knowledge Formation ◽  
New Knowledge ◽  
Literature Base

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review key models of people’s information behaviour (IB) exploring the integration of the concepts of information literacy (IL) and knowledge in their designs. Scholarly perspectives portray IL as providing individuals with capacity for good information practices that result in generating new knowledge. It is surprising that this important perspective is not reflected in the reviewed IB models. This paper contributes to the literature base by proposing a new model highlighting IL and knowledge as important concepts within the IB discourse. Design/methodology/approach A discourse of the integration of IL and knowledge, which are integral factors, associated with IB, in selected IB models. Findings Identifying a need for information and understanding its context is an IL attribute. IL underpins IB in providing awareness of information sources; how to search and use information appropriately for solving information needs and leveraging generated new knowledge. The generation of new knowledge results from using information, in a process that combines with sense-making and adaption. Correspondingly, the knowledge that develops, increases capability for sense-making and adaptation of information to suit various contexts of need, iteratively. Originality/value A new model of IB; the causative and outcome factors of information behaviour (COFIB) is proposed. COFIB stresses that IL and knowledge are prominent factors within the general framework of people’s IB. The model emphasises knowledge generation as the outcome of IB, applied in solving problems within specific contexts.

scholarly journals Toward a conceptual framework of health crisis information needs: an analysis of COVID-19 questions in a Chinese social Q&A website

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Qing Ke ◽  
Jia Tina Du ◽  
Lu Ji
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Information Service ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Information Need ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Related Information ◽  
The Right

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to understand how the contextual factors of health crisis information needs are different from a general health context and how these factors work together to shape human information needs.Design/methodology/approachThis study collected the COVID-19-related questions posted on a Chinese social Q&A website for a period of 90 days since the pandemic outbreak in China. A qualitative thematic approach was applied to analyze the 1,681 valid questions using an open coding process.FindingsA taxonomy of information need topics for a health crisis context that identifies 8 main categories and 33 subcategories was developed, from which four overarching themes were extracted. These include understanding, clarification and preparation; affection expression of worries and confidence; coping with a challenging situation and resuming normal life; and social roles in the pandemic. The authors discussed the differences between a health crisis and a normal health context shaping information needs. Finally, a conceptual framework was developed to illustrate the typology, nature and triggers of health crisis information needs.Research limitations/implicationsFirst, only the Baidu Zhidao platform was investigated, and caution is advised before assuming the generalizability of the results, as the questioners of Baidu Zhidao are not representative of the whole population. Furthermore, since at the time of writing the COVID-19 is still in an emerging and evolving situation (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020), the collected data included only a relatively small sample size compared to the post-pandemic period, and this might have impact on the interpretation of the study’s findings.Practical implicationsThe study’s taxonomy of information needs provides a reference for indexing and organizing related information during a disaster.Social implicationsThe study helps authoritative organizations track and send information in social media and to inform about policies related to the pandemic (e.g., quarantine and traffic control policies in our study) to the right people in the right regions and settings when the next disaster emerges.Originality/valueThe taxonomy of information need topics for a health crisis context can be used to index and organize related information during a disaster and support many information agents to enhance their information service practices. It also deepens the understanding of the formation mechanism of information needs during a global health crisis.

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