Sometimes the wounds of war continue to appear thousands of miles from the battlefield.  Service members, their Families and friends struggle to cope with long deployments, multiple deployments and painful reintroductions into everyday life.  But you can help them truly come home again!

Service members deployed since 9/11 face challenges unlike any in our country’s history.  It takes special training to understand the challenges and to help Service members, Veterans and their Families.  Please sign up for a FREE online course on treating the invisible wounds of war.

All the courses are FREE and nationally accredited.  Courses are quick and easy to complete, ranging from 1 to 2 hours and fifteen minutes in length.  And they’re available online 24/7 so you can fit them into your busy schedule:  http://restofthewayhome.com/

Southwest Pennsylvania Environmental Health Project (EHP)
Announces
Two New Online Natural Gas Drilling Health Care Resources!

Our colleagues at Physicians, Scientists, and Engineers for Healthy Energy (PSE) have co-sponsored, with the Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY), a series of online medical educational modules.  The presentations, by medical experts, address a wide range of patient concerns and symptoms related to gas extraction activities.   Included in the CME credited modules are a lecture by EHP’s David Brown, ScD and an interview with Denise DeJohn, RN, MSN, CRNP.

EHP’s own CME Medical Training Workshop entitled “Health Concerns in the Era of Gas Drilling: A Basic Toolkit for Healthcare Providers” is also available online.
  In this workshop, clinicians receive tools and resources to address adverse health effects related to gas extraction activities:  www.environmentalhealthproject.org.

Health Literacy Leadership Institute

http://healthliteracyleadership.org

June 10-14, 2013, Tufts University School of Medicine, Downtown Boston

This one-week Institute will directly support the work of health professionals and educators engaged in health literacy work to transform public health and healthcare delivery in the United States and abroad. Those working towards improving patient-provider communication and healthcare quality as well as those working directly with patients or adult learners in educational settings will find the Institute to be directly applicable.  Peer learning and the sharing of research and best practice from professionals in the fields of health and education are core components of the Institute’s educational approach. Participants will work on a curriculum development project of their choice resulting in a final product that is current, comprehensive, informed by research, and reflective of best practice.

Enroll in the Health Literacy Leadership Institute online, at http://healthliteracyleadership.com/enrollment/. Register before April 21, 2013 to receive the early registration discount of $1,810. Full tuition after April 21^st is $2,260. Breakfast and lunch are included.

For more information, contact course director Sabrina Kurtz-Rossi, M.Ed., sabrina.kurtz-rossi@tufts.edu or visit the course website http://healthliteracyleadership.com.

Check out the March issue of NIH News in Health, the monthly newsletter bringing you practical health news and tips based on the latest NIH research. In this edition:

Keep Your Kidneys Healthy
Catch Kidney Disease Early
Your kidneys are small, but they help keep you healthy. If you have a kidney problem, you might not realize it until you have permanent damage. Learn how to take care of your kidneys and catch problems early.

Soothing a Sore Throat
What To Do When Your Throat Hurts
We’ve all had sore throats around this time of year. Your throat feels scratchy and may hurt when you swallow. How can you soothe a sore throat? And when is it a sign of a more serious infection?

Health Capsules:

• Many Doctors Don’t Ask Teens About Alcohol
• Listen to Health Information from NIH
• Featured Website: Herbs at a Glance

Click here to download a PDF version for printing.

Visit our Facebook page to suggest topics you’d like us to cover, or start a discussion about how you use the newsletter. We want to hear what you think!

Please pass the word on to your colleagues about NIH News in Health. We are happy to send a limited number of print copies free of charge for display in offices, libraries or clinics. Just email us or call 301-435-7489 for more information.

The MAR website has been updated with the last of the special reports:

1. for physicians and residents only
2. nurses only
3. AAHSL members only, and
4. non-AAHSL members only

Also, the full study results are now available and may be helpful to librarians who want to use some slides or data in their own presentations:  http://nnlm.gov/mar/about/valueresults.html.

The JMLA paper is now linking correctly to PMC along with the online only appendices: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3543128/.  You may prefer to check out the PubReader version.

We would like to share how the University of Pittsburgh, Health Sciences Library System has highlighted the Value of Libraries project to its clinical administrators and users at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC).  You may find it helpful to generate ideas on how to promote the study in your own institution:

• The Values of Libraries Study: An Update:  http://info.hsls.pitt.edu/updatereport/?p=6068

• Director’s Reflections…Does Access to Information Make a Difference?:  http://info.hsls.pitt.edu/updatereport/?p=6065

The latest issue of the NIH MedlinePlus Magazine is now available online.  In every issue you’ll find information you can use to keep you and your family healthy, including links to MedlinePlus, NLM’s award-winning consumer health website.

• To order your free print copy of the magazine, fill out the form on our subscriptions page.
• Read the Winter 2013 Issue

NLM announces an upcoming lecture series on strategies to evaluate health communication.  The first of the five-part lecture series is this coming Monday.  More information about our first speaker, Dr. Gary Kreps, is attached.  The title of his talk is: “Evaluating Health Communication Programs to Enhance Health Care and Health Promotion.”

The event will be videocast live and archived at http://videocast.nih.gov

Better health: Evaluating health communication

There are more and increasingly diverse ways for health information to reach the public. The interest among Americans to receive health information also remains high compared to most other topics. To maximize the impact of health information on the nation’s well-being and empower consumers, communicators need to know whether their messages are reaching the right audience, whether the information is understood, and whether the materials make a difference in decision-making and health outcomes. As a result, evaluation is an integral and crucial part of health communication.

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) will host a spring lecture series to highlight innovative approaches and best practices in evaluating health communication. As the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and NLM diversify their use of mass communication channels to dispatch health information, a fresh consideration of evaluation’s cutting edge is timely and important.

NLM and NIH employees are encouraged to attend this series, as are members of the public, other governmental agencies, as well as faculty and students from area universities. The lectures will feature discussion and participation by audience members.

Lecture 1 – March 4^th, 3:30-5:00 pm, Lister Hill Auditorium, Building 38A, National Library of Medicine

“Evaluating Health Communication Programs to Enhance Health Care and Health Promotion”  

Gary L. Kreps Ph.D., University Distinguished Professor, Chair, Department of Communication and Director of the Center for Health and Risk Communication, George Mason University. Dr. Kreps’ expertise areas include health communication and behavioral change, health promotion, and risk communication. Prior to his appointment at George Mason, Dr. Kreps was the founding chief of the Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch at the National Cancer Institute.

Dr. Kreps will be the first speaker and serve as the discussant for the series’ remaining talks. His presence adds continuity and facilitates a progression of learning during the series.

Lecture 2 - March 27^th, 3:30-6:00 pm Lister Hill Auditorium, Building 38A, National Library of Medicine

Nancy Harrington Ph.D., Professor, Associate Dean for Research, Department of Communication, College of Communication and Information, University of Kentucky.  Dr. Harrington specializes in eHealth, persuasive message design, tailored messaging, and physician-patient communication.

Linda Neuhauser DrPH., Clinical Professor of Community Health and Human Development, Co-Principal Investigator of Health Research for Action, School of Public Health, University of California – Berkeley.  Dr. Neuhauser specializes in the development of health promotion programs through the use of community participatory health intervention research, and user-centered study design.

Gary Kreps, Ph.D., discussant

Lecture 3 – April 10^th, 3:30-5:00 pm, Lister Hill Visitors Center, Building 38A, National Library of Medicine

Andrew Pleasant Ph.D., Health Literacy and Research Director, Canyon Ranch Institute; The Ohio State University College of Nursing. A pioneer in health literacy research and evaluation, Dr. Pleasant is a member of the Institute of Medicine’s Roundtable on Health Literacy and the Scientific Committee of the International Public Communication of Science and Technology Network.

Gary Kreps, Ph.D., discussant

Lecture 4 – April 29^th, 3:30-5:00 pm, Balcony B, Natcher Building 45, National Institutes of Health

Brad Hesse Ph.D., Chief, Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI). Dr. Hesse directs several of NCI’s cancer communication research initiatives, including the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) and the Centers of Excellence in Cancer Communication (CECCR).

Gary Kreps, Ph.D., discussant

Lecture 5 – TBD

Gary Kreps, Ph.D., discussant

The Center for an Urban Future’s report, Branches of Opportunity, highlights the unique position of libraries to help cities address economic, demographic and social challenges.  According to the report, “No other institution, public or private, does a better job of reaching people who have been left behind in today’s economy, have failed to reach their potential in the city’s public school system or who simply need help navigating an increasingly complex world.

Although they are often thought of as cultural institutions, the reality is that the public libraries are a key component of the city’s human capital system.  With roots in nearly every community across the five boroughs, New York’s public libraries play a critical role in helping adults upgrade their skills and find jobs, assisting immigrants assimilate, fostering reading skills in young people and providing technology access for those who don’t have a computer or an Internet connection at home.”

The report is a call to action for policymakers, social service leaders and economic officials to support and use public libraries as a critical 21st century resource of opportunity for all.  Read the full report at:  http://bit.ly/URNXnY.

NN/LM MAR would like to bring to your attention 4 workshops being held in public libraries this Spring.  We encourage you to join us.  Details are provided above under Classes / Training Opportunities:

March 12, 2103

• From Beyond Our Borders:  Providing Health Information to Refugee Populations
• Beyond an Apple a Day:  Providing Consumer Health Information at Your Library

April 18, 2013

• From A(norexia) to Z(its):  Providing Health Information to Teens
• Caring for the Mind:  Providing Reference Services for Mental Health Information

The Maternal and Child Health Library at Georgetown University presents a new knowledge path, Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health. The knowledge path directs readers to a selection of current, high-quality resources about preventing, identifying, and eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in health. Health professionals, program administrators, policymakers, and researchers can use the knowledge path to learn more about racial and ethnic health disparities, health equity, and removing barriers to care; for program development; and to locate training resources and information to answer specific questions.

• View the knowledge path online at http://www.mchlibrary.org/KnowledgePaths/kp_race.html
• Companion resource briefs include the following:
  • Health and Health Care for All: Resources for Families:  http://www.mchlibrary.org/families/frb_race.html
  • Health Literacy: Resource Brief:  http://www.mchlibrary.org/guides/healthliteracy.html
  • Culturally Competent Services: Resource Brief:   http://www.mchlibrary.org/guides/culturalcompetence.html