Health Literacy and Libraries

Health information can literally save lives. Librarians can play a major role in providing current, reliable, evidence-based information for patients and the general public. This volume provides an overview of health literacy and a framework for the various ways that libraries and librarians can interact with communities to keep them informed. The book is divided into five sections. The introduction covers the history of the term health literacy in the United States and the ways that health literacy is measured. Sections two and three look at the types of health literacy (health insurance, mental health, misinformation) and various communities (LGBTQ, Latinx, Black, immigrants/refugees/migrants), along with their needs. It also addresses teens and young adults, older adults, and the parents of children with rare diseases, suggesting ways to empower these groups with the necessary knowledge to deal with their health issues. Section four discusses the roles academic and health sciences libraries, public libraries, and hospital libraries can play in promoting health literacy and notes the importance of partnerships. The last section looks at health literacy in practice and suggests ideas for providing training and education: book club discussions, continuing education, classes for medical students and health care practitioners, and digital training. The authors also note the importance of support for informed consent in clinical practice and research. This is a useful book for health sciences and information studies collections. -- ""Booklist""