Consumer Health Information Specialization (CHIS) Program
Terri Ottosen, Consumer Health Coordinator, offers seven online consumer health classes that offer CE contact hours from the Medical Library Association (MLA) and that count towards the Consumer Health Information Specialization from MLA. For more information about the CHIS, please see: http://www.mlanet.org/education/chc.
Class Schedule:
March 5 - April 2 - The Canny Consumer: Resources for Consumer Health Decision-Making
April 16 - May 25 - Prescription for Success: Consumer Health on the Web
June 4 - July 6 - From Snake Oil to Penicillin: Evaluating Consumer Health Information on the Internet
July 16 - August 24 - Beyond an Apple A Day: Providing Consumer Health Information at Your Library
September 3 - October 5 - Promoting Health Literacy Through Easy-to-Read Materials
October 15 - November 16 - Will Duct Tape Cure my Warts?: Examining Complementary and Alternative Medicine
November 19 - December 14 - Combatting Information Fatigue: Health Information Resources for Veterans
Class Registration
Class Descriptions:
Beyond an Apple a Day: Providing Consumer Health Information at Your Library (8 MLA CE)
This hands-on class will cover the information seeking behaviors of consumers. It will also address the recommended core reference collection, as well as databases and newsletters/ periodicals. It will cover the reference interview, disclaimers, and privacy as well as networking with medical librarians. The class will introduce the students to the Medical Library Association and its local chapters. It will describe possible ways to market this service in a community.
Objectives:
We will cover steps involved in providing a consumer health reference service in your public library including:
- Health information needs of patrons
- Challenges of providing consumer health information
- Planning a consumer health service
- Budgeting
- Collection development
- Consumer health on the Internet
- The reference interview
- Ethics
- Outreach
- Project development
- Marketing
The Canny Consumer: Resources for Consumer Health Decision-Making (3 MLA CE)
With the sharp rise in web-informed consumers and today’s fast paced communication technology and inclusive health care systems, information is readily available. Many health care systems now offer portable electronic records and electronic prescription services. The technologically savvy generation makes use of tools such as YouTube, blogs, and websites to share experiences in their health care. Yet, with the estimated 90 million Americans who do not understand how to read, comprehend, or use health information, health literacy will determine who is left behind in this techno cultural revolution. This class will focus on the interaction between technology, culture, and politics. An interactive session will allow participants to explore new and upcoming technologies such as personal health records and e-health tools. The resources covered will assist consumers and those helping consumers to find quality health information and to navigate the health care system. Implications for those left behind, including the ethical, social, and privacy issues concerning these new technologies will also be discussed.
Objectives:
- Gain knowledge of the behavior of e-health consumers and acquire awareness of ethical, social and privacy issues and/or practices surrounding these tools.
- Explore and identify new and existing consumer health e-tools available to be a better health care consumer
- Utilize resources presented to locate reliable, authoritative health information specific to navigating the health care system
- Acquire skills and knowledge to effectively identify and assess resources not covered in class
Combatting Information Fatigue: Health Information Resources for Veterans (3 MLA CE)
Veterans and their families need reliable health information resources and training to locate health information that is sensitive and pertinent to their needs. This course will cover resources for finding information on general health conditions, mental health resources including those for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), family issues, substance abuse, amputations, support groups and more. Additionally, this class will prepare participants to find and assess other veterans’ health resources.
Objectives:
- Understand the unique information needs of veterans and their families
- Utilize resources presented to locate reliable, authoritative health information specific to veterans
- Acquire skills and knowledge to effectively identify and assess resources not covered in the class
From Snake Oil to Penicillin: Evaluating Consumer Health Information on the Internet (3 MLA CE)
Where do you turn for trusted health information? This course will provide you with tools to determine whether health information web sites are trustworthy and reliable or whether to look elsewhere. Criteria for evaluating health information web sites will be provided and interactive assignments will reinforce concepts.
Objectives:
- Become familiar with unique issues surrounding health information on the internet.
- Understand the nature of web-based resources and why people post information to the internet.
- Evaluate health information web sites using a set of criteria provided so that you can determine whether or not the sites are trustworthy sources of health information.
Prescription for Success: Consumer Health on the Web (4 MLA CE)
This hands-on introduction to consumer health information will cover the information-seeking behaviors of consumers, the basics of MedlinePlus.gov, DIRLINE, ClinicalTrials.gov and other reliable web pages such as those from professional medical associations and advocacy groups. It will cover sites devoted to pharmaceutical information for consumers, drug-interaction databases and herbal information.
Objectives:
Identify selected website useful for answering consumer's health questions, especially:
- Disease-specific information
- Drug information for consumers
- Herbal Information
- Doctor Finders
Promoting Health Literacy through Easy-To-Read Materials (4 MLA CE)
Learn to critique, rewrite and create materials that get your health and wellness information across quickly and clearly. We'll explore the topic of health literacy and review the disconnect between information providers and information seekers, the process of educating adults, the success of "plain language" initiatives and the importance of text, type, graphics, space and layout. In this class you will also learn about assessing literacy levels using examples, and will edit pieces so that at the conclusion you'll have new awareness, new skills, a new product and access to further resources. Clear health communication is the goal, regardless of medium.
Objectives:
- Define the behavioral objective(s) of the material.
- Determine the key information points the reader needs to achieve the behavioral objective(s).
- Decide on the reading level for the material and organize topics in the way the person will use them.
- Implement the key principles of effective print materials using appropriate content, style, layout, visuals, and readability.
Will Duct Tape Cure My Warts?: Examining Complementary and Alternative Medicine (8 MLA CE)
The goal of this class is to increase understanding of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). Students will learn the history of CAM and its impact on medical practices. They will learn how CAM is used, how to avoid “bad science” and how to look up evidence of the effectiveness of CAM therapies.
Objectives
- Have knowledge of the definition and types of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM).
- Have greater knowledge of the history of CAM and it's impact on medical practice.
- Have greater understanding of usage of CAM.
- Increase confidence in evaluating health websites
- Increase skills in avoiding “bad science” found on the Internet or in the news.
- Become more proficient in searching for evidence of the effectiveness of CAM
These classes will be offered on a rotating basis during the year and are subject to the coordinator’s travel schedule. Classes are provided using Moodle, an online course management system. The classes are available 24/7 to work at your own pace throughout the open class period. Some classes also have an interactive session using Adobe Connect. For more information about Moodle, please see: http://www.moodle.org.
For more information or to be added to the online class notification list, please contact Terri: tottosen@hshsl.umaryland.edu
