From Snake Oil to Penicillin: Health Information for Librarians
According to the Department of Education, a third of U.S. citizens do not have proficient health literacy. Health literacy is defined as the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services. Health consumers and librarians assisting consumers need reliable, authoritative health information resources. This session will provide an overview of the issues, resources and tools needed to locate and evaluate health information on the Internet. After the program, attendees will be able to: 1. Identify at least 3 major websites for reliable and quality health information 2. Evaluate health information sites on the internet using the following criteria: Accuracy, Authority, Bias, Currency, and Coverage.
Presenter:
Terri Ottosen, M.L.I.S., AHIP
Consumer Health Outreach Coordinator
National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Southeastern Atlantic Region
University of Maryland, Baltimore
