Health Information Literacy Skills Research Articles

The Mediating Role of Students' Health Information Literacy Skills: Exploring the Relationship Between Web Resource Utilization and Health Information Evaluation Proficiency.

In an increasingly digital age, students rely heavily on web resources to access health information. However, evaluating the reliability and relevance of such information is crucial for informed decision-making. This study examines the importance of students' health information literacy skills (HILS) as mediators, particularly their ability to utilize web resources and successfully evaluate health information. This research investigates the mediating role of students' HILS in the relationship between their utilization of web resources and their proficiency in evaluating health information. An online survey was distributed to current students at a public university in Bangladesh as part of the data collection process for this study. Using Google Forms, the authors created a structured questionnaire. The survey was distributed through Messenger groups, Facebook pages and email invitations to reach the target audience effectively. The researchers thoroughly analysed the gathered data using structural equation modelling (SEM) techniques and SmartPLS-4 software to look for correlations between the variables. The study revealed that among the 122 participants, a significant number (N = 47) accessed internet health information on an occasional basis, whereas 30 individuals reported using it infrequently. The data revealed that 58 individuals, accounting for 47.5% of the sample, possessed the necessary abilities to access and assess online health information. Additionally, 57 participants, representing 46.7% of the sample, demonstrated proficiency in conducting online health information searches. The measurement model demonstrated good convergent validity, as evidenced by composite reliability (CR)scores and Cronbach's ⍺ values over 0.700 and an average extracted variance (AVE) of 0.500. The structural model demonstrated R2values exceeding 0.1, thus validating its dependable forecasting capability. Notable effects were seen, with f2values of 0.335 and 0.317 for the challenges in accessing and evaluating health information (CAEHI) to health information evaluation (HIE) and CAEHI to HILSrelationships, respectively. The mediation analysis found that HILS act as a mediator between types of web resources (TWRs) and HIE, with TWR having an indirect impact on HIE through HILS. The result supports all hypotheses. Therefore, it is evident that students' HILS mediate the relationship between utilization of web resources and their proficiency in evaluating health information. This study's findings could significantly impact instructional practices meant to raise students' health information literacy. This initiative seeks to enable students to make informed decisions about their health by providing them with the necessary tools to analyse and evaluate health-related information. Research on health information literacy can assist patients and the general public by instructing them on how to assess trustworthy online health resources. Students gave insightful feedback that assisted in shaping the study and guaranteeing its relevancy. If they better comprehend health information literacy, patients and the general public can use web-based resources and critically evaluate health information more accurately.

Student Health Information Literacy Against Pandemi Covid-19 (Study for Students FISIP, University of Bengkulu


 Background: Health is becoming important today, especially during a pandemi situation. Everyone needs to take care of their health to avoid Covid-19. There are many information that students can use in maintaining their health from the internet. This is the basis for researchers to see student health information literacy.
 
 
 Research objectives: to determine the health information literacy of students from Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Bengkulu and see the relationship between gender and study program with the dimensions of health information literacy.
 
 
 Research Methods: This study uses quantitative research using sample of 95 students of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Bengkulu. The determination of the sample is based on the stratified sampling.
 
 
 Finding: Respondents already have health information literacy, especially information on Covid-19. The majority of respondents have an interest in finding information about Covid-19. Respondents already have health information literacy skills in the aspects of identifying, searching for, finding, and using the Covid-19 information they find. Female respondents have more health information literacy than men. In this type of education, Journalism study program students have information literacy compared to other study programs, especially in finding, evaluating and using Covid-19’s information.
 
 
 Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that students of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Bengkulu have health information literacy skills in seeking information on Covid-19 during the pandemi season.
 
 
 

An assessment of health information literacy among women in rural Lake Zone, Tanzania

This article presents the results from a descriptive cross-sectional survey that was conducted to assess the health information literacy skills of women of childbearing age in rural Lake Zone, Tanzania. A total of 349 women were involved in the study. The study found that most rural women in the study area have low levels of health information literacy. The aggregate scores of health information literacy indicate a mean of 42.86% with a normal distribution curve, and estimated close-to-zero skewness (0.172) and kurtosis (−0.297) measures. The causal relationships between health information literacy and women’s socio-demographic factors indicate a positive and statistically significant effect ( p < .01) of women’s level of education, income, ownership of means of communication and access to health facilities on their level of health information literacy. The women’s inadequate ability to access, read, understand, appraise and use health information is a barrier to their acquisition of relevant health information. Enhancing the health information literacy skills of these women is most likely to improve their health outcomes.

Health Information Literacy among Malaria Patients in Ghana: Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3 in Focus

Background: This cross-sectional survey aimed to ascertain the knowledge of malaria patients in determining the nature and extent of health information needed; accessing the needed health information effectively and efficiently; evaluating such health information and its sources critically in order to use the information. Methods/Results: A self-reported questionnaire was given to 155 participants in selected “drug stores” in Ho in the Volta Region of Ghana. Positive relationships were found between respondents whose decision to purchase malaria drugs was based on laboratory tests and high health information literacy skills. Low knowledge of libraries among the respondents was recorded even though there was no significant difference between the health information literacy of those who see the library as a source of health information and those who do not. Conclusion: There is a need to involve libraries in the health delivery system in order to help extend literacy training/skills to the citizenry.

International Trends in Designing Electronic Health Information Literacy for Health Sciences Students: A Systematic Review of the Literature

The Internet has become a crucial source of health information for health sciences students. They increasingly rely on the Internet for health information to support their educational projects, academic activities, clinical practice and research. Surprisingly, it has been shown that students' health information skills for conducting research on the Internet are inadequate. Indeed, developing and improving the health information skill set of health sciences students is required in order for students to effectively locate, critically evaluate, and efficiently use online health information for the effective location, critical evaluation and efficient use of online health information. This paper undertakes a systematic review of the literature with a focus on electronic health information literacy skills with the aim of identifying the current trends, contributions to, and practices in health sciences students' education, and informing researchers in the field universally about the essential baseline for the design and development of effective course contents, pedagogy and assessment approaches. However, majority of students have limited skills for the location, evaluation and effective use of health information on the Internet. Other articles suggest that health sciences students need fully fledged health information skills programs that are integrated with their health sciences education curricula.

Emerging roles and activities of health sciences librarians: A literature review (2004–2014)

The factors like demography, economy and technology have greatly influenced the educational landscape. Librarianship is also impacted deeply with the new market trends such as open source concepts, social media, and digitization and knowledge management initiatives. The purpose of this review was to understand how new or recast job roles have changed visible work activities, tasks and responsibilities. Studies have shown that Medical and Health Sciences programs have begun to take initiatives in order to introduce health information literacy skills into the curriculum; therefore, the role of librarians has moved from beyond routine orientation sessions to curriculum-integrated literacy sessions throughout the academic year. Search for Literature was done in LISTA, Academic Search Complete, Medline, Emerald and Scopus. After systematic review of literature, it was concluded that the profession continue to emerge as the practices changed to satisfy the requirements of our clientele.

Improving Health Information Literacy of Early Adolescents Using a Lead Poisoning Curriculum

The purpose of this community outreach project was to improve health information literacy skills and lead poisoning knowledge in underserved early adolescents. An interactive curriculum focusing on one website (MedlinePlus) and one health issue (lead poisoning) was developed and used at an inner city school. Pre- and post-program surveys were used to assess the effectiveness of the curriculum. Results showed statistically significant improvements in both health information literacy skills and lead poisoning knowledge of 42 sixth graders. University-led community outreach collaborations to deliver an interactive curriculum in the school setting is a successful model for teaching health information literacy skills to early adolescents.

Student’s health information literacy skills for self-care in Kuwait University, health science center

Student’s health information literacy skills for self-care in Kuwait University, health science center

Developing health information literacy: a needs analysis from the perspective of preprofessional health students

The research identified the skills, if any, that health preprofessional students wished to develop after receiving feedback on skill gaps as well as any strategies they intended to use to address these gaps. A qualitative approach was used to elicit students' reflections on building health information literacy skills. First, the students took the Research Readiness Self-Assessment instrument, which measured their health information literacy, and then they received individually tailored feedback about their scores and skill gaps. Second, students completed a post-assessment survey asking how they intended to close identified gaps in their skills on these. Three trained coders analyzed qualitative comments by 181 students and grouped them into themes relating to "what skills to improve" and "how to improve them." Students intended to develop library skills (64% of respondents), Internet skills (63%), and information evaluation skills (63%). Most students reported that they would use library staff members' assistance (55%), but even more respondents (82%) planned to learn the skills by practicing on their own. Getting help from librarians was a much more popular learning strategy than getting assistance from peers (20%) or professors (17%). The study highlighted the importance of providing health preprofessional students with resources to improve skills on their own, remote access to library staff members, and instruction on the complexity of building health literacy skills, while also building relationships among students, librarians, and faculty.

A Tailored Approach to Identifying and Addressing College Students’ Online Health Information Literacy

Background: College students may fail to practice information literacy skills because they are unaware of their skill level or are not concerned with the risks. Purpose: In order to develop an effective message that motivates college students to learn online health information literacy skills, a better understanding of perceptions about such skills and use of the internet to locate health information is needed. Methods: A risk assessment and internet use survey were administered to participants (n=98). The risk assessment evaluated and grouped individuals into one of three riskresponse states based on perceived threat severity and susceptibility, as well as perceived self- and response-efficacy. Discussion: Risk-response states and frequency of internet use to locate health information varied significantly (p<.001). A significant relationship was also found between frequency of use and risk-response state (p<.01). Topics most researched included an illness or condition; nutrition, exercise, or weight-control issues; and mental health issues. Translation to Health Education Practice: When seeking to motivate college students to learn online health information literacy skills, educators should tailor their messages based on risk-response states, frequency of internet use to locate health information, and topics researched.

Health Information @Preuss (HIP)

As the digital divide continues to narrow, young people from various socioeconomic backgrounds and ethnic groups are routinely searching for health information online; and it appears they are doing so from both their schools and their homes. The National Center for Education Statistics reported that in the fall of 2000, 98% of public schools were connected to the Internet (1). A national Internet-use survey among young people conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation (these young people also reported that they were from “lower” or “working class” backgrounds), indicated that 63% of the respondents had Internet access at home (2). A significant segment of these respondents specified further that one of the subjects they regularly explore online is health information. Currently, though, online health information is a vast and varied landscape comprised of exhilarating peaks and dangerous valleys; and there are those who believe that this uneven situation poses a risk for young online health information seekers. With that in mind, and knowing that young people will continue to search for health information via the Internet, the University of California, San Diego Medical Center Library and The Preuss School UCSD created a program to integrate health information and health information literacy skills into the curricula of the school and thereby mitigate the retrieval of questionable and potentially dangerous health information by students.