Health literacy and health information behavior of Florida public library users: A mixed methods study

Abstract

The study aimed to examine users’ self-perceived health information behavior according to their health literacy ability. The proficiency levels for health literacy were measured by scores on the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy Ability (S-TOFHLA). The study conducted self-administered surveys with 131 public library users and semi-structured intensive interviews with 20 users as a follow-up. Surveys found that most participants had proficient levels of health literacy, and there was an association between health literacy and some demographic characteristics such as gender and educational level. The majority assessed their health information behavior as high. Interviewees identified critical barriers to seeking, evaluating, and using health information delivered by public libraries. Findings provided insights into public libraries for better assistance for their users’ particular needs such as preferred resources or services. Above all, the findings acknowledged the challenges of current services, and suggested the strategies for coping with them.

Involving libraries in improving health literacy to achieve Sustainable Development Goal‐3 in developing economies: a literature review

“…Public libraries have been identified as an important source for health information (Arding & McLeod, ; Yi, ). Dalmer () also reported an increase in consumer health information requests in public libraries.…”

“…Dalmer () also reported an increase in consumer health information requests in public libraries. However, the lack of awareness about library resources (Rubenstein, ; Yi, ), librarians’ need to understand their users better to plan services for them (Yi & You, ) and partnerships with health care organisations (Henry & Marley, ) are recurrent barriers to health literacy service delivery in the libraries. Other challenges were noted by Luo () and Rubenstein ().…”

Community engagement of public libraries for ensuring tribal women’s health literacy in Bangladesh

“…Yi (2014) used a mixed-methods research approach to examine public library users’ health literacy in Florida and how they used health information. In addition to conducting in-depth semi-structured interviews with 20 users as a follow-up, the research ran a self-administered survey of 131 patrons of public libraries.…”

Prediction of health information-seeking behavior components based on health anxiety among users of public libraries

“…[2] Moreover, consideration of issues such as access to health information, focus on self-care and self-management, lack of providing necessary information services (such as lack of adequate explanation on how to use drugs, and drug interactions with pharmacies), the importance of prevention from diseases, increasing specific illnesses, and limited time of the health-care professionals for patients has led to the increased focus on health information-seeking area to meet the health information needs. [3456]…”