Health literacy helps achieve health equity and remove health disparities by combatting health misinformation. The library is a trusted source of information that can be part of it.
Start with a needs assessment of your community. Find out what languages are spoken.
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Latinx communities and health literacy:
Incorrect info about COVID was spreading in the Latinx community in Kansas City. The University of Missouri-Kansas City Library decided to create a podcast that people could listen to on their phone- health topics in Spanish by health care providers plus online resources. They promoted it on social media, Apple Podcasts, Whatsapp, etc.
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Health literacy and older adults:
by 2040, over 25% of population will be over 65. Seniors may have multiple medical conditions such as hearing, visual, cognitive impairment, etc. They often start below basic literacy and may live alone and can't go outside, or they are in facilities without anyone to help with searching the Internet. Busy medical professionals can only spare a short amount of time to talk to them.
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Ideas for health programs:
- Weekly counseling groups- cancer, etc.
- Collaborate with cultural organizations.
- Check out cooking utensils and have healthy cooking programs- can be intergenerational
- Yoga and Tai Chi
- The National Library of Medicine has training and funding for programs. Talk to them about offering programs for the public.
- Training and brochures for senior living assistants and Meals on Wheels volunteers.
- Rice St. library will be having a public health nurse and community health worker come in.
Ways to guide patrons to correct health information:
- LibGuides
- Directing people to unbiased information - don't get into a debate.
- This article explains how to evaluation health stories and how to determine which sources are trustworthy.
- Programs teaching teens how to identify misinformation.
- Select speakers that provide valid information-Do your research- have a meeting with staff- make sure they aren't trying to sell anything.
- Help ESL patrons find materials in other languages.
-Andrea H., GLCL
