Developing health information literacy: a needs analysis from the perspective of preprofessional health students |
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| Authors: | Lana V Ivanitskaya Kaitlyn A Hanisko Julie A Garrison Samantha J Janson Danielle Vibbert |
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| Institution: | Professor, School of Health Sciences ;Student; Central Michigan University, HPB 1205, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 ;Associate Dean for Research and Instructional Services, University Libraries, Grand Valley State University, 204 JHZ, 1 Campus Drive, Allendale, MI 49401 ;Student, Central Michigan University, HPB 1205, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 ;Public Health Analyst, 29539 Colony Circle, Farmington Hills, MI 48334 |
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| Abstract: | Objective:The research identified the skills, if any, that health preprofessional students wished to develop after receiving feedback on skill gaps as well as any strategies they intended to use to address these gaps.Methods:A qualitative approach was used to elicit students'' reflections on building health information literacy skills. First, the students took the Research Readiness Self-Assessment instrument, which measured their health information literacy, and then they received individually tailored feedback about their scores and skill gaps. Second, students completed a post-assessment survey asking how they intended to close identified gaps in their skills on these. Three trained coders analyzed qualitative comments by 181 students and grouped them into themes relating to “what skills to improve” and “how to improve them.”Results:Students intended to develop library skills (64% of respondents), Internet skills (63%), and information evaluation skills (63%). Most students reported that they would use library staff members'' assistance (55%), but even more respondents (82%) planned to learn the skills by practicing on their own. Getting help from librarians was a much more popular learning strategy than getting assistance from peers (20%) or professors (17%).Conclusions:The study highlighted the importance of providing health preprofessional students with resources to improve skills on their own, remote access to library staff members, and instruction on the complexity of building health literacy skills, while also building relationships among students, librarians, and faculty.Highlights- After receiving feedback on skill gaps, most preprofessional health students intend to develop their information literacy skills.
- Some students report that a trip to the library is a barrier to using library resources.
- Students see the need to build their information evaluation skills, knowledge of citations and plagiarism, and library skills, which they differentiate from Internet skills.
- Students are more likely to identify librarians as sources for assistance in finding information than faculty or peers after receiving individual feedback explaining the role of libraries and library staff members.
Implications- Students'' health information competencies can be built through assessment and feedback that reveals skill gaps, highlights misconceptions, and offers ideas on how to improve.
- Access to professionally designed self-study resources is needed for students who intend to develop health information competencies on their own.
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