fostering health information literacy through use of a virtual world
DESCRIPTION
A presentation by Sheila Webber, Information School, University of Sheffield, UK; Elisabeth Jacobsen Marrapodi, Trinitas Regional Medical Center, USA and Rossana I. Barrios, Biblioteca Conrado F. Asenjo, University of Puerto Rico. Presented at the LILAC (Information Literacy) conference, London, England, 19 April 2011 and in Second Life on Infolit iSchool on 13 April 2011. The presentation identifies ways in which virtual worlds can be used to foster health information literacy, using the example of the virtual world, Second Life (SL). The presenters describe a project involving health quizzes on the web and in SL from a librarian based in the USA, a Spanish-language initiative in SL from a librarian in Puerto Rico, and a joint venture to create an installation about health information literacy.TRANSCRIPT
Fostering
health
information
literacy through
use of a virtual
world
Sheila Webber, Information School, University of Sheffield, UK
Elisabeth Jacobsen Marrapodi, Trinitas Regional Medical Center, USA
Rossana I. Barrios, Biblioteca Conrado F. Asenjo, University of Puerto Rico
LILAC conference, London, April 2011
Outline
• Second Life & Health Literacy
• Marrapodi: a health literacy exhibit and quiz in SL
• Barrios: Spanish Language health information
literacy in SL
• Webber: Health Information Literacy Corner on
Infolit iSchool
• Conclusions
Second Life (SL), a Virtual World (VW)
• VW = persistent, multiuser, avatars, networked • 3-D VW world, owned by (& trademark of) Linden Lab• Avatars- 3D representation of yourself – free to signup• Most things created by SL residents: SL fashion
designers, architects, bakers, animal makers …. real economy in SL
• Need to download SL browser & have good broadband connection & computer graphics card
• Communication through text chat, Voice and Instant Messaging
• C. 70,000 people online simultaneously, international, wide age range
Medical/ health use
• Kirriemuir (2010) notes is a key subject
area for education in virtual worlds
• Low risk, can be lower cost, and evidence
of engagement
• Simulations, communications, diagnosis,
anatomy, health education (e.g. McCallum
et al, 2010; Wiecha, 2010)
“3-D virtual worlds provide users with a more
immersive and socially interactive experience, as
well as a feeling of embodiment that has the
potential to facilitate the clinical communication
process.” Gorini (2008)
“I was not so
confronting, but it
puts you in that
situation. You still
wanted to solve
that problem and
fix that patient so
you really got
drawn into the
whole situation.”
student quoted in
Rogers (2009:
885)
What is Health Literacy?
• Health Literacy is about
being able to:
– Read
– Understand
– Act
– Why outreach in VR?
Health Literacy
in the Virtual
World of
Second Life
Elisabeth Jacobsen Marrapodi, Library Director
Trinitas Regional Medical Center
Elizabeth, New Jersey USA
2010 Research Award
MLA/Hospital Libraries Section
This research project has been partially funded with Federal funds from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. NO1-LM-6-3501 with New York University
Study: Can Online Interactive Games
Improve Health Literacy?
The Research Team: Team Leader: Medical Librarian Advisors: Cardiology, Neurology & Education NursesIntern: 2nd Year MLS Student
Teaching Objective: Offer fun, educational, interactive Consumer Health Literacy quizzes using web 2.0 and a virtual platform (Second Life) to increase public awareness about signs and symptoms on selected health topics
Study Timeline: January 2010 – January 2011
Targeted Topics:Heart AttackStrokeMedical Terminology
Target Populations: local community to global outreach
Numbers: Website quizzes = 491Website survey responses = 59 Second Life quizzes = 654Second Life survey responses = 197
Advantages of online interactive games
For the Consumer:
• Private, anonymous
• Learn at your own pace
• Accessible 24/7
• Fun
For the Educator:
• Inexpensive
• Where your customers
are
• Maximum outreach
The Virtual World of Second Life
HealthInfo Island
Traveling Mini-Exhibits in Second Life
Obstacles
Spanish-language tutorials and information on
selected health issues, links to health sites, and
meeting space for instructional events.
Health Literacy Prototype for Hispanic Populations in Second Life ™
Rossana I. Barrios (PI Illios) Conrado F. Asenjo Library, UPR-RCM
…y los
Hispanic
Population in
Second Life
Hispanic Population in SL• Educational Purposes
• Entertainment / Leisure
• Business
• Economic problems / unemployment
• Creativity
• Curiosity
• Health problems
• Caregivers
• Isolated
• Others
Addressing Information Needs
• This community has
information needs
and might seek for
it in-world.
• …but it is usually in
other languages.
Spanish Language Speakers
• Every racial or ethnic group has specific
health problems. The differences in
health may result from:
– Genetic factors
– Environmental factors
– Access to medical care
– Cultural factors
Medline Plus Español
Conrado F. Asenjo Library
University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus
The main health sciences information resource center on the
Island and is considered to have the most complete collection of
its kind in the Caribbean. Collection and services support all
health related academic programs.
Conrado F. Asenjo Library
University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus
Public university
library: As a resource
library under the
National Network of
Libraries of Medicine,
the institution is
committed to providing
and promoting use
and access to
information resources
and databases among
health professionals in
the community, both
individually and
through affiliated
institutions.
Information Services
for the Public: The
Library provides
extensive information
resources to serve the
general public.
Health Literacy Prototype for Hispanic Populations in Second Life ™
Conrado F. Asenjo Library, UPR-RCM
• We chose from CDA &
OMDH reports as main
Latinos’ health
problems
• Topics addressed:
– Guidance in evaluating
health resources
– Influenza A (H1N1)
– Heart disease
– Diabetes
Latinos & Health
Emphasis on informed
decisions
• Emphasis is in guidance and
search, but not to replace health
professional intervention.
• Assessment of reliable health
information.
• Prevention and education.
• The medical library as a trusted
center of guidance and assistance
to the community.
Design
Design
• User-friendly materials
• Learning Paths
• Bilingual Material
• Previously evaluated and appropriate links for
Hispanic populations.
• Plain Language
• Aimed at informed decision making
Graphic Material
Outreach Strategies
Listening SL’sHispanic
population needs
Suggestions mailbox
Polls
Conversations
Activities
Planned according to these needs
Self-running presentations
You Tube Videos
Outreach Strategies
https://sites.google.com/a/upr.edu/tusaludbuscadistingueaprende
Google Site
Outreach Strategies
• SlideShare presentations
• You Tube
• Flickr
• Koinup
Health Information Literacy corner on
Infolit iSchoolSheila Webber /
Sheila Yoshikawa
Model of SCONUL 7 Pillars
of information literacy, with
examples of a search
“Should we panic about
bird flu” (Sheila Webber &
students)
HIV/AIDS information
seeking related to
SCONUL 7 Pillars (by
Robin Ashford (SL Mochi),
librarian at George Fox
University, USA, & former
community librarian in SL
In addition to the heart/stroke quiz …
Teleport to
health related
places in SL e.g. Swine flu
Virtual hallucinations
HIV/AIDS quilt
Tour of the Testis
Health Commons
HealthInfo Island
• Venue for
discussion, social
events, CPD
Conclusions
• Global outreach in real time crossing over all
demographics, truly multinational
• Content designed and created by SL Residents;
create targeted material + use other people’s
• Platform for education, entertainment, living
• educational interventions
• inworld “passers by”; awareness raising
• CPD
• Multiple channel strategy (net + virtual world)
Sheila Webber
Senior Lecturer, Information School
University of Sheffield.
SheilaYoshikawa)http://information-literacy.blogspot.com/
http://www.slideshare.net/sheilawebber
SL: Sheila Yoshikawa
Elisabeth JacobsenMarrapodi
Library Director
Trinitas Regional Medical Center
Elizabeth, New Jersey USA
[email protected] (Second Life: Brielle Coronet)http://www.slideshare.net/emarrapodi
SL: Brielle Coronet
Rossana I. Barrios
Biblioteca Conrado F. Asenjo, University of Puerto Rico
SL: Pi Illios
References• Gorini, A. et al. (2008). “A second life for eHealth: prospects for the use of 3-
D virtual worlds in clinical psychology”. Journal of Medical Internet
Research,10(3):e21 http://www.jmir.org/2008/3/e21/
• Kirriemuir, J. (2010) Virtual worlds in education: why?
http://www.slideshare.net/VirtualWorldWatch/sheffield-april-2010
• McCallum, J., Ness, V. and Price, T. (2010) “Exploring nursing students'
decision-making skills whilst in a Second Life clinical simulation laboratory.”
Nurse education today. [corrected proof, in press, available online]
• Rogers, L. (2009). “Simulating clinical experience: Exploring Second Life as
a learning tool for nurse education”. In: Same places, different spaces:
proceedings Ascilite Auckland 2009. Figtree: ASCILITE.
http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/auckland09/procs/rogers.pdf
• Wiecha, J. et al. (2010) “Learning in a Virtual World: Experience With Using
Second Life for Medical Education. “ Journal of medical internet research,
12 (1). http://www.jmir.org/2010/1/e1/