Consumer Health Information
A Workshop for Librarians Providing Health Information to the Public
Course Description
This hands-on course for librarians will cover the definition, trends, issues, sources and providers of consumer health information. Interview skills and techniques will be simulated with an emphasis on why they must be different from those interview skills used for health professionals or for patrons requesting other non health-related information. Providing information versus offering opinion, advice or interpretation will be discussed along with the use of disclaimers attached to information, or available on library or health information web sites. Aspects of setting up and managing a consumer health library will be considered and development tools offered. Online health information resources will be evaluated for authority, accuracy, currency, audience and purpose, and NLM systems and databases recommended for consumers will be demonstrated.
Objectives
By the end of class, the participants will be able to:
- understand the trends and issues of CHI, and recognize the disseminators and their roles;
- use appropriate interview skills and techniques with patrons requesting CHI;
- incorporate disclaimers with the distribution of CHI;
- understand the requirements for establishing and managing a consumer health library and acquire development tools;
- be able to determine the authority, accuracy, purpose, and audience of a health information web site and its appropriate use as a CHI resource for the public;
- demonstrate familiarity with NLM systems and databases covered in this course;
Course Materials
Additional Materials
Continuing Education
This course has been approved for 2.5, 4 and 6 hours of Medical Library Association Continuing Education Units.
Potential Instructors
Consumer Health Information Course InstructorsGreater Midwest Region
Tammy Mays, Consumer Health Coordinator, tmays@uic.edu, 312-996-7791
Charniel McDaniels, Network Coordinator, mcdaniel@uic.edu, 312-996-8996
Kara Thompson, Communications Coordinator, karalt@uic.edu, 312-996-2464
Midcontinental Region
Mary Henning, Regional Medical Library Liaison, henning@uwyo.edu, 307-766-6537 (Wyoming)
Stephanie Weldon, Consumer Health, stephanie.weldon@uchsc.edu, 303-315-1712
Middle Atlantic Region
Rhonda Allard, Consumer Health Information Coordinator, rallard@nyam.org, 212-822-7353
New England Region
Michelle Eberle, Consumer Health Information Coordinator, Michelle.Eberle@umassmed.edu, 508-856-2435
Pacific Northwest Region
Gail Kouame, Consumer Health Information Coordinator, gmarie@u.washington.edu, 206-221-3449
Pacific Southwest Region
Kay Deeney, Education Coordinator, kdeeney@library.ucla.edu, 310-206-0525
Southeastern Atlantic Region
Toni Yancey, Outreach Coordinator, tyancey@hshsl.umaryland.edu, 410-706-2855
Authors
Lorna Springton, former Consumer Health Coordinator, NN/LM, Greater Midwest Region
Marsha Sullivan, former Consumer Health Coordinator, NN/LM, South Central Region
