Public Libraries As Partners for Health
Public Libraries As Partners for Health
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DOI：
10.5888/pcd15.170392
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发表时间：
2018-05-01
影响因子：
5.5
通讯作者：
Cannuscio, Carolyn C.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Whiteman, Eliza D.;Dupuis, Roxanne;Cannuscio, Carolyn C.
公共图书馆对所有人免费开放，是社区参与和教育的中心，因此成为改善人口健康的合作伙伴是合乎逻辑的选择。图书馆工作人员经常帮助那些没有得到满足的健康和社会需求的读者。方法：我们向宾夕法尼亚州图书馆协会数据库中列出的所有图书馆馆长（N = 621）发送了一份100个问题的自我管理网络调查，调查工作人员与图书馆顾客之间的互动，以解决健康的社会决定因素。我们对定量回答进行了统计比较，并对开放式回答进行了内容分析。结果受访者（N = 262）报告说，经常与赞助人就健康和社会问题进行互动——远远超出了与识字和教育有关的问题——包括就业（94%）、营养（70%）、锻炼（66%）和社会福利（51%）方面的帮助。在宾夕法尼亚州的公共图书馆，急性紧急情况并不罕见，近12%的受访者在过去一年中目睹了图书馆吸毒过量的情况。大多数答复者认为，他们的专业培训使他们在协助顾客处理健康和社会问题方面准备不足。尽管至少有40%的受访者在他们的图书馆分馆提供一些健康项目，但他们提供的服务不能满足普通读者查询中反映的高水平需求。结论图书馆工作人员在满足读者信息需求方面面临的挑战为公共图书馆促进人口健康提供了机遇。图书馆工作人员需要更多的培训和资源，并与公共卫生和保健机构合作，通过有效的、以证据为基础的公共卫生方案来满足社区需求。
IntroductionPublic libraries are free and accessible to all and are centers of community engagement and education, making them logical choices as partners for improving population health. Library staff members routinely assist patrons with unmet health and social needs.MethodsWe used a 100-question, self-administered web survey sent to all library directors listed in the Pennsylvania Library Association database (N = 621), to investigate staff interactions with library patrons to address social determinants of health. We conducted statistical comparisons of quantitative responses and a content analysis of open-ended responses.ResultsRespondents (N = 262) reported frequently interacting with patrons around health and social concerns - well beyond those related to literacy and education - including help with employment (94%), nutrition (70%), exercise (66%), and social welfare benefits (51%). Acute emergencies were not uncommon in Pennsylvania's public libraries, with nearly 12% of respondents having witnessed a drug overdose at the library in the past year. Most respondents felt that their professional training left them inadequately prepared to assist patrons with health and social issues. Although at least 40% of respondents offered some health programming at their library branch, their offerings did not meet the high level of need reflected in common patron inquiries.ConclusionThe challenges library staff members experience in meeting their patrons' information needs suggest opportunities for public libraries to advance population health. Library staff members need additional training and resources and collaboration with public health and health care institutions to respond to community needs through effective, evidence-based public health programming.