The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #58490

Kathleen Burr Oliver, MLS, MPH¹, Jeri Mancini, CNM, MS², Holly Harden, MLIS¹, and Susan Rohner, MLS³. (1) Welch Library, Johns Hopkins University, 1900 E. Monument Street, Room 105, Baltimore, MD 21205, 410 614 6801, koliver@jhmi.edu, (2) Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Maternity Center East, Johns Hopkins University, 503 N. Chester Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, (3) Lilienfeld Memorial Library, Johns Hopkins University, 624 N. Broadway 9th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21205

Purpose: The project supplements and enhances existing HIV/STD screening and counseling services of a clinic. Current and accurate information on HIV/STD resources is offered in print, Web-based, and multimedia formats. The goal of the project is to provide patient access in a way that increases confidence in the resources and overcomes health information literacy challenges. Setting/Subjects: The setting is a primary care clinic with Internet connections serving poor, uninsured women in an urban community. It operates adolescent prenatal and family planning clinics with an active client base of 3,000 women. The patients have an established track record of stability and compliance but some lack health literacy and information skills. Two medical librarians introduce and guide patients in the use of information resources following their visit with a nurse midwife. Evaluation/Outcome: Women are randomly assigned to three resource groups. Two groups are presented Web pages of information, one including multimedia and audio commentary, one without. The third group receives a printed information sheet representing the audio content. Participants complete either an online or print evaluation of the resources they view. This presentation will describe the response of the participants to reproductive health information and prevention strategies received in various mediums (print, visual, and audio). It will also describe issues encountered with staffing, technology, and patient participation.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this presentation, the participant of this session will be able to:
• Describe pertinent and culturally appropriate online resources for a clinic-based reproductive health Web site.
• Identify various information formats (visual, audio,print) to accommodate patients with low health literacy skills.
• Discuss the innovative use of computer technology, multimedia resources and expertise of health information professionals to enhance health literacy in a women's health clinic.
• Define key features of a reproductive health Web site for low health literacy patients.
• Describe the benefits of providing electronically accessible health information in a clinic setting.
• Recognize the benefits of a collaborative project between the healthcare provider and medical librarian.

Keywords: Disease Prevention, Health Information

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Johns Hopkins University
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.