LIS 2585 Health Consumer Information Resources and Services

This course aims to provide an overview of CHI for those interested in working in medical and public libraries, healthcare organizations, community agencies, academic libraries with students intending careers in the helping or service professions. The first eight sessions are on general issues of Consumer Health Information (CHI), with a special emphasis on library collections, programs, and services. The next four sessions deal with specific CHI needs of special populations as well as services and resources developed for these groups.

This course is designed to provide an overview of health consumer information resources and services for use in various settings. Students are expected to learn how to use relevant resources to perform research and develop solutions for targeted health consumers. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to answer the following questions:

• How to serve diverse and/or special populations?
• What is consumer health information (CHI)?
• What is the role of libraries/librarians?
• What are available resources and services?

Learning Outcomes

• Evaluate and Select CHI: Critically assess consumer health resources (print, digital, and AI) for credibility, accessibility, and cultural appropriateness.
• Promote Health Equity: Apply health literacy frameworks and cultural competency to address the information needs of diverse and underserved populations.
• Provide Ethical Services: Integrate legal and ethical standards (HIPAA, ADA, copyright) into consumer health reference and information practice.
• Analyze Health Informatics: Evaluate the impact of digital health platforms and generative AI on consumer information behaviors and provide informed guidance to patrons.
• Design CHI Programs: Develop evidence-based collections, services, or outreach strategies that advance community health and information literacy.

Agenda

Week 1: August 28

• Topics: Introduction to Consumer Health Information (CHI)
• Course & Syllabus Introduction
• How to read research papers
• History of Consumer and Patient Health Librarianship
• Foundations of CHI as a field

Week 2: September 4

• Topics: Resources, Networks, and Providers
• NLM, NNLM, MLA, and CAPHIS
• National and local CHI networks
• Users of CHI

Week 3: September 11

• Topics: Medical Terminology and Health Databases
• Medical Terminology
• MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed Health
• Challenges of medical language for consumers

Week 4: September 18

• Topics: Collection Development, Policy, Standards, and Legal Foundations
• Formats, reviewing sources, disclaimers
• Liability, policies, and organizational guidelines
• Survey Design

Week 5: September 25

• Topics: Health Communication and Media
• Health Communication
• Consumer Health Information in the Public Media
• Social Media for Consumer and Patients
• Audiovisual Materials

Week 6: October 2

• Topics: Health Literacy and Information Behaviors
• Health literacy frameworks and national plans
• Information-seeking behaviors of consumers, caregivers, and patients

Week 7: October 9

• Topics: Libraries, Outreach, and Advocacy
• Outreach and advocacy
• Public libraries as CHI resources

Week 8: October 16

• Topics: Consumer Health Informatics and CAM
• Digital health platforms and informatics
• Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)
• Evaluating drug and nutrition information

Week 9: October 23

• Topics: Culture, Diversity, and Consumer Health
• Cultural competency and ethnic communities
• Vulnerable populations and health equity

Week 10: October 30

• Topics: Social Justice and Health Information
• Services for people with disabilities, refugees, the homeless, and incarcerated individuals
• Intersection of CHI and social justice

Week 11: November 6

• Topics: Gender, Sexuality, and CHI
• Issues of Gender/Sexuality & CHI
• Services and Materials for Women, Men, and Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered People

Week 12: November 13

• Topics: Age, Family, and CHI
• Issues of Age and CHI
• Materials and Services for Kids, Young Adults, and their Caregivers
• Materials and Services for Those with Companion Animals
• Materials and Services for Elders and those with Chronic Diseases

Week 13: November 20

• Topics: Infodemics, Misinformation, and Generative AI
• Managing misinformation in public health crises
• WHO’s framework on infodemics
• Ethics of Generative AI in Consumer Health: ChatGPT, Med-PaLM, Perplexity; potentials, risks, equity implications, and the WHO guidance on ethics and governance of AI for health
• Applied exercise: Compare MedlinePlus responses vs. AI chatbot responses for a consumer health question

Week 14: November 27

• HAPPY THANKSGIVING – NO CLASS

Week 15: December 4

• Topics: The Future of Consumer Health Information
• Trends in AI, mobile health, and digital literacy
• Final project presentations and course wrap-up

MLA CE Credits: 24