Forum - January 2009

in monthly conference calls for a period of two years in order to define MLA’s health information literacy mission. When the task force concluded its work in April 2005, it emerged having addressed seven key objectives:

1. Develop a working definition of “health information literacy.”

MLA defined “health information literacy” in 2005 as the set of abilities needed to: recognize a health information need; identify likely information sources and use them to retrieve relevant information; assess the quality of the information and its applicability to a specific situation; and analyze, understand and use the information to make good health decisions.

2. Identify current and potential MLA activities that support health information literacy. Among other things, the Health Information Literacy Task Force during its two-year tenure created a dedicated health information literacy section on the MLA Web site, compiled and distributed lists of trusted health information resources and Web sites, created a consumer health library directory, authored a User’s Guide to Finding and Evaluating Health Information on the Web, and created a DVD and a bookmark highlighting the association’s health information literacy efforts.

3. Identify potential partners. As part of its initial health information literacy efforts, MLA established strategic partnerships with the American Library Association, the Pfizer Foundation’s Partnership for Clear Health Communications, the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, the National Network of Libraries of Medicine and the National Library of Medicine.

4. Recommend an MLA structure to coordinate activities. Upon completing its work, the Health Information Literacy Task Force bequeathed leadership of MLA’s health information literacy efforts to the association’s pre-existing consumer health group, the Consumer and Patient Health Information Section. Additionally, the task force worked with MLA’s Continuing Education Committee to establish for librarians a Consumer Health Information Specialization certification,

Components of the Medical Library Association’s health information literacy efforts.

An Information Prescription

In order to increase awareness of health information resources — including hospital libraries — among both doctors and patients, MLA recently partnered with the National Library of Medicine to test the idea of a “health information prescription.”

As part of the pilot for its Health Information Literacy Research Project, MLA asked participating hospital libraries to distribute customized prescription pads that physicians could use to “prescribe” information for their patients. In addition to medication, doctors could use the pads to recommend specific Web sites and libraries to their patients.

“Librarians gave prescription pads to health professionals in their institutions and asked them to prescribe the library to their patients as part of the instructions they get when they leave the doctor’s office,” says MLA President Mary Ryan. “The message was: Take these drugs, get this filled and then take this prescription to your library and learn more about this topic so that you can make better decisions about your treatment.”

as well as a series of topical continuing education courses offered online and in person at MLA national and regional meetings.

5. Identify questions and research opportunities. Prior to dissolving in 2005, the Health Information Literacy Task Force surveyed MLA members to determine their comfort with and involvement in health information literacy issues, and to measure their awareness of the association’s efforts. Approximately 87 percent of survey respondents said MLA should be involved in promoting health information literacy resources.

6. Develop a communication plan. A subcommittee of the Health Information Literacy Task Force developed a communications toolkit for MLA members to help them market the role of information and librarians in promoting health literacy. It included communications goals, target audiences and key talking points.

7. Develop a framework for evaluating the effectiveness of MLA’s health information literacy work. The Health Information Literacy Task Force found in its member survey that approximately 58 percent of MLA members were aware of the task force’s existence. In order to evaluate awareness of ongoing efforts, it recommended monitoring traffic on relevant areas of the MLA Web site to determine member response to new and existing health information literacy resources.

Lost — and Found — in Translation

Although its Health Information Literacy Task Force represented and initiated a formal effort by MLA to pursue health information literacy platforms and projects, the association had flirted with health literacy long before Watson issued her 2002 call to action. In fact, in 1998 — in the midst of celebrating its centennial year — MLA debuted a consumer health brochure designed to help patients get more involved in their own health care. The brochure, “Deciphering Medspeak,” contained more than 100 medical definitions and a list of prescription shorthand terms.