A systematic review and narrative synthesis of health literacy interventions among Spanish speaking populations in the United States.

BACKGROUND: While many populations struggle with health literacy, those who speak Spanish preferentially or exclusively, including Hispanic, immigrant, or migrant populations, may face particular barriers, as they navigate a predominantly English-language healthcare system. This population also faces greater morbidity and mortality from treatable chronic diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes. The aim of this systematic review was to describe existing health literacy interventions for patients with a Spanish-language preference and present their effectiveness. METHODS: We carried out a systematic review where Web of Science, EMBASE, and PubMed were queried using MeSH terms to identify relevant literature. Included articles described patients with a Spanish-language preference participating in interventions to improve health literacy levels in the United States. Screening and data abstraction were conducted independently and in pairs. Risk of bias assessments were conducted using validated appraisal tools. RESULTS: A total of 2823 studies were identified, of which 62 met our eligibility criteria. The studies took place in a variety of community and clinical settings and used varied tools for measuring health literacy. Of the interventions, 28 consisted of in-person education and 27 implemented multimedia education, with 89% of studies in each category finding significant results. The remaining seven studies featured multimodal interventions, all of which achieved significant results. CONCLUSION: Successful strategies included the addition of liaison roles, such as promotores (Hispanic community health workers), and the use of multimedia fotonovelas (photo comics) with linguistic and cultural adaptations. In some cases, the external validity of the results was limited. Improving low health literacy in patients with a Spanish-language preference, a population with existing barriers to high quality of care, may help them better navigate health infrastructure and make informed decisions regarding their health. REGISTRATION: PROSPERO (available at https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021257655.t ).

Developing and conducting a language inclusivity assessment on a health science library's website, LibGuides, and signage.

Background: A Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Team at a university health science library created a checklist for inclusive language and conducted an assessment of their library's website, LibGuides, and physical and digital signage. Inclusive language was defined as "language that is free from words, phrases or tones that reflect prejudiced, stereotyped or discriminatory views of particular people or groups". Case Presentation: The 32-item checklist facilitated the identification of gendered language, stereotypes, ableist language, racist language, stigmatizing language, slang, acronyms, and out-of-date terminology regarding physical and mental health conditions. From the library's website, 20 instances were noted for which improvements were necessary. Out of the 130 LibGuides reviewed, 23 LibGuides had no changes needed and 107 had changes identified relating to language inclusivity (14 strongly recommended changes and 116 suggested changes). Regarding the signage, one flyer was removed for reprinting. Conclusion: The checklist enabled the team to implement a number of improvements to the library's website and LibGuides. The checklist has been shared with Library Technology Services and the wider campus libraries' Usability Committee for future use, and has also been added to the DEI Team's LibGuide for use by others outside of the university.

Integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion principles into instruction: Case studies from the University of Florida's Health Science Center Libraries.

Librarians at the University of Florida Health Science Center Libraries have begun to intentionally incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles into teaching during design, implementation, and evaluation. This article uses four case studies to provide an overview of the librarians' approaches to inclusive teaching (1) an annual workshop for Physical Therapy students on the intersection between DEI, health literacy, and patient education; (2) a librarian-taught one-credit course for public health students, which was revised to create a more inviting syllabus and integrate elements of universal design; (3) an annual project for first year medical students highlighting health disparities and community resources; and (4) piloting the application of critical librarianship principles in library standalone sessions on database searching and reference management. Suggestions are provided for other librarians who are interested in developing a culture of inclusive teaching in their own libraries.

Identifying diversity, equity, and inclusion enhancement opportunities through an online mixed methods library survey.

Objective: A mixed methods survey was conducted at a health sciences library to assess patrons' perceptions of the library's digital and physical environments in relation to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Methods: Developed by the library's DEI Team and preceded by a pilot assessment, the survey posed 17 Likert Scale questions and 2 free-text response questions on the topics of belonging, inclusivity, equitability, emotional and physical safety, and commitment to DEI. The survey was created in Qualtrics, pilot tested, and launched in February 2020 for approximately 12 weeks. Results: Objective question responses were received from 101 individuals, with 24 open-ended responses. The quantitative findings showed largely positive perceptions of the DEI climate. Questions about feeling welcome and feeling physically safe were among those with the highest responses. The three lower-scoring questions indicate areas for improvement, including services for people whose native language is not English, for individuals with disabilities, and for families. The qualitative findings indicate the library's strengths include its exhibitions, welcoming atmosphere, and LGBTQ+ inclusivity initiatives. In contrast, opportunities for enhancement encompass non-English language resources, website updates, and accessibility to some physical spaces. Conclusion: The DEI Team is using the online survey data to enhance library services, staffing, programming, policies, and spaces. These improvements include looking into providing a space for patrons with families, expanding services for individuals whose first language is not English, assessing library accessibility for people with physical disabilities, and enhancing the physical space with quiet areas, improved lighting, and meditation spaces. Employee DEI training is ongoing, using results from a training needs survey to identify knowledge gaps. The library has a history of successful partnerships with campus entities, which will help the DEI Team to move forward with their work.

Information seeking and evaluation: a multi-institutional survey of veterinary students.

OBJECTIVE: To practice evidence-based medicine, clinicians must be competent in information literacy (IL). Few studies acknowledge the critical role that reading strategies play in IL instruction and assessment of health professional students. The purpose of this study was to understand the information-seeking and evaluation behaviors of doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) students in regard to scientific papers. METHODS: The authors studied DVM student behaviors across eight programs in North America using a web-based survey of closed- and open-ended questions about finding and evaluating scientific papers, including a task to read a linked scientific paper and answer questions about it. RESULTS: A total of 226 individuals responded to the survey. The sections of a scientific paper that were most commonly read were the abstract, introduction, and conclusions. Students who reported reading a higher proportion of scientific papers were more likely to feel confident in their abilities to interpret them. A third of respondents answered open-ended questions after the paper reading task. Respondents felt the least amount of confidence with one of the final steps of evidence-based medicine, that of interpreting the significance of the paper to apply it in veterinary medicine. CONCLUSIONS: DVM students may lack the skills needed to evaluate scientific literature and need more practice and feedback in evaluating and interpreting scientific papers. Librarians who support DVM students can (1) help DVM students to efficiently evaluate scientific literature, (2) seek training opportunities in alternative modes of teaching and learning IL skills, and (3) partner with veterinary faculty and clinicians to provide students with practice and feedback in information evaluation.

HIV/AIDS information promotion at the library: creative campaigns for young adults.

BACKGROUND: While rates of new HIV diagnoses have gone down nationally, Florida's HIV-positive population is growing and remains one of the largest in the country. Given this landscape, it is clear that diverse, creative, and collaborative efforts are needed to better inform the public about HIV risks, prevention, and treatment and to encourage healthy behaviors. CASE PRESENTATION: Building on previous work, librarians at the University of Florida engaged in a yearlong project to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS risks, prevention, and treatment among university students and to improve their information-seeking behaviors related to this disease. The "Creative Campaigns" project included 3 distinct elements of activity and engagement, designed to complement one another: a graphic novel contest, a social media campaign, and training for campus health care providers. The contest yielded 4 high-quality submissions, and the month long social media campaign garnered over 50,000 views and utilized Facebook ads to extend beyond the library's typical audience. The instruction proved useful to campus counseling and wellness staff. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the team considered the project a success in terms of reaching new audiences in new ways, and several of its components have been integrated into subsequent projects and regular operations. Exploring new methods of outreach through social media and creative formats required careful planning and the development of new skill sets amongst project team members but proved to be a rewarding way to generate engagement in the local community.

Using Simulation to Teach Echocardiography: A Systematic Review.

STATEMENT: We identified 24 studies of high-fidelity simulation being used to teach echocardiography. A variety of study designs were used with outcomes ranging from reports of learner self-confidence up to improvement in organizational practice. Most studies were carried out in graduate medical populations, specifically in anesthesia trainees. The substantial majority of studies (91.6%) concluded that simulation has positive outcomes for teaching echocardiography. Future investigations would benefit from application of educational theory and should focus on demonstrating whether simulation can improve care delivery and patient outcomes.

Use of annual surveying to identify technology trends and improve service provision.

OBJECTIVE: At an academic health sciences library serving a wide variety of disciplines, studying library users' technology use provides necessary information on intersection points for library services. Administering a similar survey annually for five years generated a holistic view of users' technology needs and preferences over time. METHODS: From 2012 to 2016, the University of Florida Health Science Center Library (HSCL) annually administered a sixteen-to-twenty question survey addressing health sciences users' technology awareness and use and their interest in using technology to engage with the library and its services. The survey was distributed throughout the HSC via email invitation from liaison librarians to their colleges and departments and advertisement on the HSCL home page. RESULTS: Smartphone ownership among survey respondents was nearly universal, and a majority of respondents also owned a tablet. While respondents were likely to check library hours, use medical apps, and use library electronic resources from their mobile devices, they were unlikely to friend or follow the library on Facebook or Twitter or send a call number from the catalog. Respondents were more likely to have used EndNote than any other citation management tool, but over 50% of respondents had never used each tool or never heard of it. CONCLUSIONS: Annual review of survey results has allowed librarians to identify users' needs and interests, leading to incremental changes in services offered. Reviewing the aggregate data allowed strategic consideration of how technology impacts library interactions with users, with implications toward library marketing, training, and service development.

HIV/AIDS Outreach: Curriculum Development and Skills Training to Health and Information Professionals.

With funding from the National Library of Medicine HIV/AIDS Community Information Outreach Program (ACIOP), librarians at the University of Florida Health Sciences Libraries partnered with university and community groups to facilitate collaboration, develop new information resources, develop information-seeking skills, and raise general awareness surrounding HIV/AIDS risks, prevention, and treatment. This article describes the skills development elements of the project, including development and implementation of an HIV/AIDS information resource curriculum for health care providers, social services professionals, and public librarians within the project's partner organizations.

Teaching Evidence-Based Veterinary Medicine in the US and Canada.

There is no comprehensive review of the extent to which evidence-based veterinary medicine (EBVM) is taught in AVMA-accredited colleges of veterinary medicine in the US and Canada. We surveyed teaching faculty and librarians at these institutions to determine what EBVM skills are currently included in curricula, how they are taught, and to what extent librarians are involved in this process. Librarians appear to be an underused resource, as 59% of respondents did not use librarians/library resources in teaching EBVM. We discovered that there is no standard teaching methodology nor are there common learning activities for EBVM among our survey respondents, who represent 22 institutions. Respondents reported major barriers to inclusion such as a perceived shortage of time in an already-crowded course of study and a lack of high-quality evidence and point-of-care tools. Suggestions for overcoming these barriers include collaborating with librarians and using new EBVM online teaching resources.

Facilitating collaboration and research in sex and gender differences and women's health: year one experiences.

Librarians at the University of Florida Health Science Center Libraries partnered with faculty to promote awareness of and access to research on women's health and sex and gender resources in an outreach project funded by the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health Office of Research on Women's Health. The project featured elements that facilitated cross-disciplinary collaboration (using CoLAB Planning Series®, or CoLABs), instruction to various groups (including faculty, undergraduate students, graduate students, and professional students), collection development, and information dissemination. Librarians leveraged existing partnerships with faculty and built new ones. Success in this project demonstrates that libraries can partner effectively with their faculty on emerging trends and new initiatives.

The use of Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) software to create a database of librarian-mediated literature searches.

Expert-mediated literature searching, a keystone service in biomedical librarianship, would benefit significantly from regular methodical review. This article describes the novel use of Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) software to create a database of literature searches conducted at a large academic health sciences library. An archive of paper search requests was entered into REDCap, and librarians now prospectively enter records for current searches. Having search data readily available allows librarians to reuse search strategies and track their workload. In aggregate, this data can help guide practice and determine priorities by identifying users' needs, tracking librarian effort, and focusing librarians' continuing education.

Librarians as Part of Cross-Disciplinary, Multi-Institutional Team Projects: Experiences from the VIVO Collaboration.

Cross-disciplinary, team-based collaboration is essential for addressing today's complex research questions, and librarians are increasingly entering into such collaborations. This study identifies skills needed as librarians integrate into cross-disciplinary teams, based on the experiences of librarians involved in the development and implementation of VIVO, a research discovery and collaboration platform. Participants discussed the challenges, skills gained, and lessons learned throughout the project. Their responses were analyzed in the light of the science of team science literature, and factors affecting collaboration on the VIVO team were identified. Skills in inclusive thinking, communication, perseverance, adaptability, and leadership were found to be essential.

Using NLM exhibits and events to engage library users and reach the community.

In an effort to reach out to library users and make the library a more relevant, welcoming place, the University of Florida's Health Science Center Library hosted exhibits from the National Library of Medicine's (NLM) Traveling Exhibition Program. From 2010 through 2012, the library hosted four NLM exhibits and created event series for each. Through reflection and use of a participant survey, lessons were learned concerning creating relevant programs, marketing events, and forming new partnerships. Each successive exhibit added events and activities to address different audiences. A survey of libraries that have hosted NLM exhibits highlights lessons learned at those institutions.

Space planning: a renovation saga involving library users.

From 2010 to 2012, librarians at the University of Florida Health Science Center Library (HSCL) used an online survey and focus groups to gather user input on preferences for an ideal library space. User input guided the HSCL's renovation plans and put a clear focus on enhancing technology, improving infrastructure, enabling group collaboration, and creating comfortable spaces. Additional communication with users during renovation was vital in ensuring continued usability of nonconstruction spaces and shared understanding of the construction timeline. While specific user suggestions are particular to the HSCL, overall themes and methods for eliciting input will be useful to other libraries undergoing space planning.

Smartphone use at a university health science center.

This article describes the results of a survey of library patrons conducted by librarians and information technology specialists at the Health Science Center Libraries at the University of Florida. The purpose of the survey was to learn if and how library patrons were using smartphones to perform their work-related tasks and how patrons felt the library could support smartphone use at the Health Science Center.

Changing the face of reference: adapting biomedical and health information services for the classroom, clinic, and beyond.

This article describes how the reference department at a large academic health sciences library evolved to address the clinical and research information needs of the parent organization without losing its close connections to the classroom and curriculum. Closing the reference desk, moving to on-call and house call models, designing positions such as clinical research librarian and basic biomedical sciences librarian, finding alternative funding to grow the department, providing technology and training to facilitate librarians' work, and developing programming for and taking advice from library clients facilitated efforts to create a relevant presence and solidify the library's place in the university community.

The presence of academic health sciences libraries on Facebook: the relationship between content and library popularity.

Social networks such as Facebook allow libraries to be proactive in reaching their users. While some libraries have popular Facebook pages, it remains unclear what attracts users to these pages. This study evaluates relationships between libraries' Facebook page content and popularity. An analysis of 72 academic health sciences libraries' Facebook pages showed positive correlations between number of library fans and number of tabs, photos, events, and wall posts on Facebook. Libraries posting videos had significantly more fans than libraries without them. This study contributes to an understanding of correlations between content and popularity on Facebook, with implications for library outreach.