It is not surprising that the expanding American waistline is correlating to a growing need for health information. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity contributes to an increased risk for hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and some cancers. And though general medical books that list 100 different…

Long sentences, medical terms, and small print make hospital information brochures and consent forms difficult for many patients to understand. Nurses can help patients by simplifying language, highlighting important information, and using lists. (JOW)

Examines two issues to determine how they affect delivery of consumer health information: (1) Who is responsible for disseminating consumer health information, and what role should public and health science libraries play? (2) Should librarians (public or health science) provide medical reference works for general public? Thirty-five references…

These pamphlets present facts, background information and guides on the immunization of children against preventable diseases. Individual pamphlets are provided for mass media specialists, health personnel in the field, health policy makers and program administrators, as well as university personnel. Contents include a specification of the role of…

This report is a summary opinion of current high school health textbooks. The report states that although high school health textbooks generally treat marriage respectfully they are intellectually weak, often poorly informed, and marred by factual errors. The 11 topics discussed include: (1)"Why Textbooks Matter"; (2) "The Good…

Presents online addresses and descriptions of government-operated Internet sites, as well as non-government-operated sites that provide federal and political information. Sidebars give instructions for contacting your congressperson via telecommunications; and examine government sites devoted to health care. (JMV)

Participants in a workshop on the ethics and problems of medical reference service in public libraries generally concluded that people have a right to information concerning health and librarians should rely on common sense in answering medical reference questions and refrain from interpretation and diagnosis. Presentations included a report on a…

Examines the difficulties faced by the implementors of information dissemination systems in developing nations and explores the possible use of optical data disk technologies to overcome them. A pilot project of the Pan American Health Organization for the production of a CD-ROM containing bibliographic references on public health is described.…

Microcomputers presently have many technical capabilities that can be used in health education, but computer technology cannot be fully applied in the health classroom until: (1) software becomes more widely available; and (2) health educators write the needed software programs. Future computer applications are discussed. (Author/PP)

A survey of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) information in libraries measured scope of information, scope of reference and referral patterns, and librarians' opinions on the adequacy of AIDS information relative to patron needs and community education. Librarians should take an active role in developing collections and networks about…

Discusses the importance of educating young people about sexuality and AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). Several health textbooks are described, gaps in information provided by these texts are indicated, and recommended library materials dealing with sexuality and AIDS for children of all ages are reviewed. (MES)

Describes participation by Sri Lanka in the HELLIS (Health Literature, Library and Information Services) Network, which links libraries for sharing health information resources at the national and regional levels. Highlights include establishment of the program; background, scope, function, and resources of participating libraries; and current…

A series of six articles discusses the technology of optical data disks, current and possible future applications of this technology, their potential impact on information retrieval systems, and the potential problems as they apply to information science. (CLB)

Various aspects of the Integrated Academic Information Management System (IAIMS) initiative sponsored by the National Library of Medicine are explored in 10 articles. An overview of the program, the technologies involved, examples of implementation, approaches to integrated information systems, and the future of the program are discussed. (CLB)

Argues that librarians should respond to the growing demand for medical information by expanding their role. The development of medical information reference, issues of accountability, legal responsibility, and user characteristics are discussed. Seven steps toward accountability, including in-depth reference interviewing, referral, training, and…