Notes
from the Chair 
Message
from the Chair
By Eris Weaver
The New Year is an opportunity
for many of us to reflect on the past year and set goals for the next.
The gyms, smoking cessation, and weight loss programs are all full this
month with folks who have resolved to improve their health. Other resolutions
may concern personal relationships or professional development.
My big resolution for 2005
was to make some major changes in my work life. To that end, I have
resigned from my position at the Redwood Health Library despite the
fact that I do not as yet have another job lined up. I don't know if
I'll continue in consumer health or if I'll even land in anything resembling
a library; I do know that I needed to clear out the old space in order
to allow something new to enter. I've never done anything like this
before, and it's frightening and exhilarating in equal measure.
If your New Year's Resolutions
include professional development goals, why not consider participating
on a CAPHIS committee? If you've never attended an MLA annual meeting
before, make 2005 your first! Start making travel plans now so you can
take advantage of the amazing section programs, CE courses, and networking
opportunities this event offers.
At the very least, resolve
to participate in your section by voting for CAPHIS officers - you should
be receiving a ballot in the first week of February. The ballot mailing
will also include a proposal that is one of CAPHIS's resolutions for
the new year: to update our bylaws to fit with our current practices
and to move toward election practices that will make voting easier.
Watch for it.
Articles
Spanish
Language (Consumer) Health Collection Development
Collection development is
considered by many practicing librarians one of the more enjoyable tasks
we get to perform. To keep our collections current and responsive we
have to continually adapt what we purchase to meet the needs of constant
demographic shifts in our communities. For many librarians, one of the
more challenging tasks in responding to this demographic shift is collecting
health material in non-English languages. Finding quality web sites
is usually not difficult, and with the inclusion of Spanish language
material in Medlineplus and
NOAH, we have access to web
sites for one language we can trust. Web sites are great, but often
do not offer the medium the patron requires or is comfortable with,
and web sites, alas, do not offer the depth of information required
nor do they answer many of the daily questions asked by our patrons.
We need to purchase printed material in non-English languages that provide
answers to the diverse questions we all receive daily. Two nationally
recognized librarians in the area of foreign language consumer health
collection development and reference services, Barbara Bibel,
reference librarian/consumer health information specialist in the Science/Business/Social
Science/ Government Documents Department of the main library at Oakland
Public Library in California and Kristine Alpi, manager of the Public
Health Library at the New York City Department of Health and Mental
Hygiene, are interviewed by Howard Fuller and provide answers
that will hopefully help you in developing this special collection.
In our interview we focus on selecting Spanish language material.
Howard Fuller: In
what languages, besides English, do you collect health material?
Kristine Alpi: The
Public Health Library collects health materials in many languages, primarily
Spanish, but also Haitian Creole, Chinese, Russian, Hindi and Arabic
depending on the topic and the available languages. The New York City
Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH) produces its
core materials in English, Chinese and Spanish, and translates brochures
and additional materials into other languages depending on the topic
and the population that needs access to the information. For example,
the citywide “Take Care New York” program bulletin
appears in Spanish, Korean, Arabic, Chinese and Russian, while materials
on SARS are also available in Vietnamese. The “Cover Your Cough”
brochures will appear in thirteen languages.
Barbara Bibel: I collect
in French, Russian, and Spanish. Our Asian branch collects in Chinese,
Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Khmer, Laotian, and Tagalog.
HF: What formats (books,
DVD’s, newsletters) do you find of most interest to your Spanish
speaking patrons?
KA: Videotapes and
brochures are the most requested formats for Spanish-speaking audiences
that the Library lends or provides to community-based organizations
(CBOs). One CBO has requested Spanish-language DVDs, but the Library
has only just begun to acquire DVDs in English and currently does not
have any in Spanish. One concern in purchasing DVDs in other languages
is to ensure the DVDs can be played by US machines, which is not always
the case with imported DVDs. The Spanish language newsletters and books
do not circulate and are infrequently used in the library. Most of
the Library’s materials in other languages are on HIV/AIDS, sexually
transmitted infections, reproductive health or environmental health.
BB: Books are the
most popular, but videos, both VHS and DVD format, also circulate well.
HF: What are some
of your primary concerns when reviewing and selecting non-English language
material that you don’t have to be as concerned about when purchasing
English language material?
KA: In order to best
evaluate non-English materials, the Library staff members seek to purchase
or obtain bilingual materials or the English equivalents. The educators
using library resources often ask for the English version. Members
of the Library staff have reading knowledge of Spanish and other Romance
languages, but many of the materials needed are not in these languages.
With both print publications and videos, we evaluate the technical quality
of the item and consider the pictures and format for cultural applicability/audience
even when we don’t understand the language. Cultural accessibility
and readability is also part of the assessment of English-language publications.
The source of the materials is highly important in assessing the orientation
of the material’s message. We also look for date of publication.
Although we have not done this in the past, the library could contact
the Department’s Office of Cross-Cultural Communications to identify
staff who read the language of the material being considered.
BB: It is very important
to make sure that the information is current and from a reliable source.
When considering works translated from English, be sure to check all
of the bibliographic and copyright information. Publishers producing
these translations do not always have rights for the latest edition
of a work, so you could be getting out-of-date material. It is also
important to look at the illustrations. If they are all pictures of
happy, blue-eyed blonds, your community may not relate to them. Another
issue is language. If a work is from Spain and written in formal Castilian
Spanish, your patrons from Mexico, Central or South America, or the
Caribbean will not be comfortable with it.
HF: Do you have any
favorite publishers and/or distributors you find provide consistently
good content?
KA: The videos and
materials produced by community-based organizations and non-governmental
organizations are popular with library users, but are generally not
available through traditional distributors. Many state, federal and
non-governmental organizations produce health-related videos and brochures
in other languages. For Spanish, the National Alliance for Hispanic
Health (http://www.hispanichealth.org/)
offers videos, kits and brochures on topics such as colorectal cancer,
HIV/AIDS and immunizations. Barbara Bibel has created a list of distributors
that provide materials in other languages and “Críticas”
offers a list of distributors for Spanish materials.
Visiting the exhibits at
a large national health meeting such as the American Public Health Association
has been a valuable way to obtain free consumer health materials in
a variety of languages and formats. Since the Library does not have
a large budget for consumer materials, staff members spend a significant
amount of energy identifying free or low-cost videos and brochures from
organizations distributing free materials. It is also important to see
what materials have been developed or purchased by other programs of
your organization trying to reach the same audience. For example, the
Library’s collection includes videos on Hepatitis C and pregnancy
in Spanish that were produced by the NYC DOHMH.
BB: Diana and Planeta
produce good books. Several American publishers, HarperCollins, Macmillan,
and McGraw-Hill have also introduced Spanish-language lines. Two distributors
who work with libraries and offer excellent service and selections are
Nerissa Moran of Books on Wings, who is now affiliated with Brodart,
and Michael Shapiro of Libros Sin Fronteras. For material in Russian
and other Slavic languages, Szwede Slavic Books in Redwood City, California,
has an excellent selection and very helpful, knowledgeable staff.
HF: What Spanish language
review resources do you find most useful? What comparable resources
do you use for other non-English languages?
KA: Both Barbara Bibel
and I have written articles on collecting Spanish health materials
for “Critícas” which occasionally reviews Spanish-language
health books and videos. In New York City, it’s easy to visit
bookstores that have significant collections of health books in Spanish
to review in person. If you are not located near a Spanish-language
bookstore, it will be important to find a vendor with a liberal return
policy or staff that can provide support. As a member of REFORMA, the
National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to
Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking, an affiliate of the American Library
Association (http://www.reforma.org/), I have found the
REFORMA discussion list offers opportunities to discuss resources with
colleagues and includes announcements of new resources. I also receive
the Spanish language announcements from the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. The web site at http://www.cdc.gov/spanish/default.htm
has a sign-up form.
BB: For Spanish-language
materials, “Criticas” and REFORMA offer reviews of current
works. The reviews are in English, so librarians who do not read Spanish
will find them useful. It is hard to find reviews for materials in other
languages. Each issue of “Booklist” has a column devoted
to a different language, but it does not have reviews. It is an annotated
bibliography of current books and rarely contains health or medical
items.
HF: What type, if
any, local community resources have you found useful for collection
development? Has your non-English language community resources/network
translated into other services or outreach activity? Are you planning
or hoping to plan and implement other activities that may involve your
non-English speaking patrons and/or your non-English language collection?
KA: The NYC DOHMH
Office of Cross-Cultural Communications has been a helpful partner in
identifying materials in other languages. The NYC Department of City
Planning provides data on languages spoken in NYC. The Library lends
videos to community-based organizations and provides publications in
other languages to a wide variety of organizations who distribute them
to their clients and at community events. Library staff distributes
material in other languages at community health fairs and other events.
The training provided by the Library is currently in English, but also
mentions the availability of materials in other languages.
BB: Visiting local
bookstores that carry Spanish-language material is very useful. One
can buy off the shelf and know exactly what one is getting. It also
gives you a sense of what the community is reading. We will be doing
some programs on health topics such as diabetes which will include teaching
about library resources.
HF: For someone with
little or no experience in collecting foreign language material, what
might you consider to be a few words of wisdom?
KA: Start with a small
number of items that you feel will be used based on previous requests
for materials. In a hospital setting, the nurses or patient educators
can likely comment on what they have received as requests for materials
in other languages from patients or their families. Check census data
for your local demographics. The Modern Language Association web site
(http://www.mla.org/census_main) provides language statistics by ZIP
code. Ask your administrators or community liaisons which languages
are being requested for interpretation services. Then promote the materials
to those in your organization who work with those who would benefit
from the materials. Developing partnerships with the state and local
health departments will open up new sources of materials developed with
your community in mind.
In the library, identify
staff or volunteers who have interest or skill in other languages and
cultures and involve them in your collection development. Be sure that
there is an “I speak” sign in the library to assist patrons
in knowing that you can help them and know the procedures for accessing
interpreters. Shelving materials by language with appropriate signage
in that language will showcase the resources and reach out to those
library users who might not find items integrated in the regular collection.
Be sure to indicate the availability of the English language version
for those colleagues who would like to review the material before providing
the other language version to a patient or consumer. And always keep
the lines of communication with your community open so you are in the
loop as their information needs evolve.
BB: Buying materials
in a language that you do not know is difficult. Do not hesitate to
ask a staff member who knows the language to help you. S/he can go with
you when you buy and provide some translation so you know what you are
getting. Working with a distributor who knows the language and has a
sense of the market is also a good option. Attending book fairs such
as Feria Internacional del Libro in Guadalajara will allow you to see
the very latest materials and buy them at a good price. If you cannot
go, work with a distributor like Nerissa or Michael (they always attend).
Tell them what you need and how much you can afford to spend and they
will choose good items for you.
For Further Information:
1. The 2001 Consumer Connections
article by Sherrie Kline Smith entitled ”Resources in Spanish
for Consumer Health Information,” http://caphis.mlanet.org/resources/CHISspanish.html,
2. The National Network of
Libraries of Medicine page entitled “Consumer Health Materials
in Spanish,” http://nnlm.gov/train/chi/spres.html,
and
3. Solina Kasten Marquis
“Delivering Pregnancy and Birth
Information,” Críticas, Vol. 2, No. 5, September-October,
2002, 34, 36-37.
4. Solina Kasten Marquis
“Parenting Information for Newbies,”
Críticas, Vol. 2, No. 6, November-December, 2002, 29-30 &
32.
Consumer
Health EN ESPAÑOL
By
Barbara Bibel
Barbara recently attended
the Feria Internacional del Libro in Guadalajara, Mexicao, and
offers us a review.
Hispanics are the fastest
growing segment of our population, so we all need current material in
Spanish for our collections. The good news is that there is now more
high-quality information available. This year’s Feria Internacional
del Libro in Guadalajara, Mexico was a wonderful treat. With over
2000 publishers from Latin America and Spain, the choices were almost
overwhelming. Along with the latest fiction blockbusters like Gabriel
García Marquez’s Memorias de mis putas tristes, I was able
to find some consumer health treasures. The new edition of the Mayo
Clinic Family Health Book as well as most of the Mayo volumes on
specific diseases and conditions are now available in Spanish. Thomson
has published a Spanish version of the Mosby dictionary for allied health
professionals, too. Reader’s Digest has a nice series of books
about nutrition, heart disease, cholesterol, stress reduction and diabetes.
For some reason, they decided to package the diabetes volume with a
pair of diabetic socks. This increased the price. When I asked about
buying the book without the socks, the sales representative said that
this was not possible and could not understand why I would want to do
that. When I explained that libraries circulate books, not socks, he
agreed that this was true, but he would not give me the book alone.
Large publishers such as Diana, Planeta, and Larousse also have very
nice illustrated books about health topics and parenting.
If you are comfortable working
in Spanish and can get funding, it is worthwhile to attend this book
fair. The American Library Association
offers assistance in the form of subsidies for transportation and hotel
rooms for members. If you cannot go, working with a distributor who
goes there to buy is the next best thing. Nerissa Moran of Books on
Wings is now affiliated with Brodart. Michael Shapiro of Libros Sin
Fronteras is now with Baker and Taylor. This will make it even easier
for those who use these major suppliers. If you provide a detailed profile
of your clientele and their needs, a distributor can shop for you and,
in some cases, even provide shelf-ready materials. It is worth the trip.
The fair offers an opportunity to see the latest Spanish-language materials
and experience Mexican culture as well as sunny weather. If you are
interested, contact David Unger, the United States representative at
filny@aol.com.
MLA's
Leadership and Management Section: The Benefits of Membership
Submitted by Brian Bunnett,
member of the South Central Chapter and of the LMS Membership Committee.
Certain problems are common
to all medical librarians: how to keep their skills current, finding
a network of colleagues who can advise and support them, and figuring
out a career plan that offers them opportunities for growth and advancement.
The MLA, fortunately, exists in order to help us address these problems.
And within the MLA there is a flourishing system of sections that makes
this task even easier.
There are currently 23 different
MLA sections. These sections draw like-minded colleagues together so
that they can better pursue their common interests. Their range –
from medical informatics to collection development to dental and veterinary
libraries – attests to the diversity and vitality of our profession.
Membership in any one of these sections is certain to stimulate and
benefit those who belong to them.
I am a member of the Leadership
and Management Section (LMS) and serve on that section’s membership
committee. I am willing to admit that this affiliation has perhaps
clouded my objectivity. And it’s not inconceivable that my partiality
to the LMS has made me lose sight of the important work that I’m
sure is conducted within the other 22 sections. However that may be,
I think that you might find membership in the Leadership and Management
Section to be especially appealing. Let me explain why.
The LMS allows its members
to network with colleagues interested in leadership and management by
promoting research and professional development activities. It accomplishes
this goal through programs and symposia held at MLA annual meetings,
through The Leading Edge – its excellent newsletter, through
its listserv, and through social events and business meetings. A particularly
valuable service provided by the LMS is its identification and remediation
of leadership and management problems in medical libraries. A recent
LMS survey, for example, found that the profession offered few training
and educational opportunities for librarians wishing to become middle
managers. In response to this finding the LMS created a task force
to determine how the section can help to fill this vacuum.
I mentioned at the outset
that all librarians face the problem of figuring out a career plan that
offers them opportunities for growth and advancement. Managerial and
administrative positions are often exceedingly challenging and difficult.
But they can also be fulfilling, rewarding, and stimulating in ways
that other library positions are not. Those of you interested in such
a career path will find that joining the MLA’s Leadership and
Management Section will help you to realize your professional aspirations.
More information about the
LMS is available on its web page at: http://www.lms.mlanet.org/
An application form is available
at: http://www.lms.mlanet.org/join_us_form.html
BOOK
REVIEWS
2005
Drug Identifier.
CD-ROM. Facts and Comparisons. $31.95. ISBN 1-57439-217-4.
It is not uncommon for patrons
to contact the library when they are trying to identify a drug. Both
the Physicians Desk Reference and the Consumer Drug Reference
have drug identification sections with color pictures, but they are
not extensive. This CD-ROM from Facts and Comparisons has over 5,000
color images. Users may search them by generic or brand name, manufacturer,
color, imprint, NDC code, shape, scoring, coatings, and flavors. The
disc employs Netscape 4.78 as its browser, so users must install it
before installing the program. Searchers may use pull-down menus or
type words in the search box. If one types a word and clicks on the
search button, an error message pops up. To obtain results, it is necessary
to choose an item from the menu and double click on it after typing
in a search term. This is somewhat cumbersome, but not a major problem.
The 2005 Drug Identifier is a useful resource for libraries that
need a comprehensive drug identification tool.
Barbara M. Bibel, Oakland
Public Library, Oakland, CA.
American
Medical Association. American Medical Association Family Medical
Guide. 4th ed. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2004.
1136 p. index, illus. ISBN:0-471-26911-5 $45.00
“Reviewed by nearly
50 practicing physicians from a cross section of medical specialties
and written in clear, easy-to-understand language,” the 4th
edition of American Medical Association Family Medical Guide,
provides up-to-date explanations about how specific diseases are diagnosed
and treated, how to prevent many chronic conditions, and strategies
to maintain good health.
The 4th edition
is nearly 50 percent longer than the 3rd edition published
in 1994 and represents an extensive updating of this popular work .
The 2004 edition has more of a health promotion focus and emphasizes
the individual’s role in maintaining good health – this
now merits, not one, but two parts. Part one (150 pages) is a new
color section on “What You Should Know: Information to Keep
You Healthy” and chapters have been added on complementary
and alternative medicine, and cosmetic surgery (this was one page in
the 3rd edition). More recent topics have been reflected,
such as terrorism, aging well, genetics, and osteoarthritis.
American Medical Association
Family Medical Guide is an authoritative guide on the latest diseases,
tests, treatments, procedures and drugs. It is highly recommended for
all consumer health information collections, as well a handy reference
book for home use.
Susan Murray, Consumer Health
Information Service, Toronto Reference Library, Toronto, Canada
Saidoff,
David C. and Stuart Apfel. The Healthy Body Handbook: A Total Guide
to the Prevention and Treatment of Sports Injuries. Demos Medical
Publishing, 2004. 326 p. index. ISBN 1-932603-04-2. $24.95
Written for active adults,
this book explains the basic structure and function of the musculoskeletal
system, while providing information for the prevention and treatment
of sports injuries. This detailed guide is arranged by body area - knee,
hip, elbow, shoulder, back, hand, and foot - and is augmented by numerous
black and white illustrations.
Tennis elbow, carpal tunnel
syndrome, Achilles tendon injury, and rotator cuff disorders are some
of the more common ailments discussed. Whole body conditions such as
arthritis, osteoarthritis, and fibromyalgia are also featured. The description
of each injury includes a definition, contributing factors, signs and
symptoms, prevention and treatment, and information about the remedies
and procedures most commonly recommended by physicians.
The authors are experienced
practitioners, teachers and lecturers. David C. Saidoff is a graduate
of the New York University School of Physical Therapy and Dr. Stuart
Apfel is an Associate Professor of Neurology at Albert Einstein College
of Medicine. Both have written textbooks in the field and lecture on
neuromusculoskeletal topics .
Authoritatively written without
being overly technical, The Healthy Body Handbook would be a
great addition to consumer health collections of public and medical
libraries.
Dee Jones, Louisiana State
University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, Louisiana
Davis,
Amelia. My Story: A Photographic Essay on Life with Multiple Sclerosis.
Demos Medical Publishing, 2004. 112p. ISBN 1-932603-01-8. $19.95.
My Story profiles
thirty-two people living with multiple sclerosis, their caregivers and
families. The collection consists of brief, first-person essays and
accompanying black-and-white photographs. The author, a San Francisco-based
freelance photographer, was diagnosed with MS in 1998. Her first book,
The First Look (U. of Illinois, 2000) garnered awards for editing
and design.
The vignettes that make up
My Story explore the range of life-altering consequences of an
MS diagnosis for men and women aged 17 to 70. Many of the personal
accounts focus on the gradual acceptance process of living with a chronic,
often debilitating condition, describing personal philosophies and coping
strategies. Although some of these stories share personal experiences
with MS treatment, My Story does not replace practical works,
like Symptom Management in Multiple Sclerosis (Demos Medical
Publishing, 2003.) My Story complements such guides in consumer
health collections.
Most MS biographies, like
Blindsided (HarperCollins, 2004) and Life on Cripple Creek
(Demos, 2003), describe an individual journey in-depth. In contrast,
My Story is a browsable compilation of essays depicting the many
human faces of MS. Although the complexity of language varies throughout,
the photographs are accessible, even to new readers. The images greatly
enrich the text, offering encouragement and inspiration for anyone
coming to terms with what it means to be a person with multiple sclerosis.
Rosalind Kutler, Redwood
City Public Library, Redwood City, CA
Nonprescription
Drug Therapy: Guiding Patient Self-Care, 3rd ed.
Tim R. Covington, M.S., PharmD. editor. Facts and Comparisons, 2004.
1440p. $73.95 ISBN 1-57439-199-2.
As more people decide to
treat common illnesses and discomforts themselves, accurate information
about non-prescription medications is an important part of a library’s
reference collection. Non-Prescription Drug Therapy from Facts
and Comparisons provides comprehensive information on over 100 common
conditions and the over-the-counter (OTC) therapy options available
for them. The editor and contributors are pharmacists, physicians, and
dentists writing for their peers, but librarians and patrons comfortable
with medical terminology will find the information accessible.
The book is organized by
condition and body system: CNS conditions, GI/GU conditions, diabetes
management, etc. Each includes a definition of the condition and its
common names, the etiology, incidence, pathophysiology, signs and symptoms,
and diagnostic parameters and physical assessment. This last section
sets the book apart from more traditional drug information books such
as the Physicians Desk Reference and the Consumer Drug Reference.
It includes physical clues to the nature of a disease and interview
questions and topics to discuss with patients so that a pharmacist can
decide whether to suggest non-prescription medication or refer the patient
to a physician. The entries conclude with short monographs on appropriate
over-the-counter medications listed by generic name. Brand names are
listed in the text. The articles also include patient information for
each drug. The book includes information about vitamins and nutritional
supplements, home diagnostic tests and devices, and complementary therapies.
A series of appendices offer information about FDA pregnancy categories,
calculations, the International System of Units, normal laboratory values,
and standard abbreviations; general management of overdoses and acute
hypersensitivity reactions; the home medicine cabinet; administration
techniques; a directory of Web sites for information, organizations,
and government agencies; and a directory of poison control centers.
Although librarians cannot
suggest medications, the information in this book will allow them to
give patrons the data that they need to make decisions or ask health
care professionals for further advice. Since the book contains the latest
nutritional information and unbiased data about the most popular complementary
and alternative therapies, it will be extremely useful at the reference
desk. Barbara M. Bibel, Oakland Public Library, Oakland, CA.
Madaras,
Lynda. Ready, Set, Grow! A “What’s Happening to My
Body?” Book for Younger
Girls. Newmarket Press, 2003.127 p. index. ISBN1-55704-565-8.
$12.00.
This is a much needed book
for elementary school-age girls on puberty. As more nine-, eight-,
and even seven-year-olds develop secondary sex characteristics, a book
that explains these bodily changes, hygiene, and menstruation without
going into detail about sexual behavior, reproduction, and contraception
is often requested by parents. Madaras has twenty years experience
as a sex and health educator for young people, and wrote the popular
“What’s Happening to My Body?” books for older
children. “Ready, Set, Grow!” uses a relaxed, encouraging
style to explain puberty, with chapters on breasts and bras, body hair,
the height spurt, the weight spurt, body odor and acne, the value of
healthy diet and exercise for growing girls, external and internal female
sexual anatomy, menstruation, and sexual harassment or abuse. Written
at a fourth- to fifth-grade level, with cheerful but explicit cartoon
illustrations by Linda Davick, this book is helpful, encouraging, and
informative for young girls who are not ready for sex but whose bodies
are ready for puberty.
Brenda Pfannenstiel, Kreamer
Family Resource Center, Children’s Mercy Hospitals & Clinics,
Kansas City, Missouri.
Szymanski,
Marianne M. and Ellen Neuborne. Toy Tips: a Parent's Essential Guide
from America's Leading Toy Expert. Jossey-Bass, 2004. 224 p., ISBN
0797974366. $9.95
The authors'
purpose is to assist toy shoppers choose fun, sturdy, age and development-appropriate
toys for children from infancy to adolescence. The book is arranged
by type of toy: indoor, outdoor, technology, educational, videos, etc.
Each section has the benefits, timing, and warnings discussed, plus
some general remarks about the type of play the toy encourages such
as fine motor coordination, imaginary play, or thinking skills. It
is an interesting arrangement and makes one think about what toys teach.
The problem with the arrangement is one must look in each toy type section
if you want to know all the toys which would be good for an elementary
age child. If the final copy has an index this format will not be a
problem. A summary table arranged by age and type of toy would be very
useful for harried parents.
Even with
this drawback, it is a useful book. The authors provide good advice
about matching the child's developmental age, ability and interests.
There is a long chapter on health and safety issues with toys discussing
how to check for possible problems, how to clean toys - including stuffed
toys which can't be laundered.
The writing
is easy to understand with a conversational tone, at the 9th grade level.
For the price this is a useful purchase for public and consumer health
libraries.
Kate Smith,
The Children's Hospital, Denver, CO
Your
Complete Guide to Facial Cosmetic Surgery by
Jon Mendelson, MD; William Truswell, MD; Kriston Kent, MD. Addicus Books,
January 2005. 176 pages, ill., index, glossary. ISBN 1-886039-70-4.
$19.95
Written
by three board-certified facial plastic surgeons, this title comes across
as a 176-page ad for cosmetic surgery. There are too many glowing descriptions
of the benefits of the various procedures and gorgeous before-and-after
photos, and not enough discussion of risks and contraindications for
me to recommend it.
That said,
there is some useful information here for the patient who has already
decided that she or he wants surgery. The book opens with an introductory
chapter on the aging of skin and a very brief discussion about the necessity
of approaching cosmetic surgery with realistic expectations; the discussion
of contraindications for surgery is limited to one paragraph. The chapter
on choosing a surgeon includes a good description of what an initial
consultation should include. There is also useful information on what
to expect before, during, and after surgery itself - what meds you
need to stop before surgery, growing your hair in advance to hide the
scars, how long it will be before you can shower, wear makeup, go back
to work, etc. Another chapter discusses aftercare in detail.
There
is a chapter devoted to each specific category of procedure: facelift,
eyelid lift, browlift, rhinoplasty (nose job), otoplasty (ear pinning);
wrinkle fillers/injectables (fat, collagen Botox); implans; skin resurfacing;
and scar revision. Each includes the number of Americans that undergo
the procedures each year, a description of the procedure, and before-and-after
photos. (The photos are predominantly of white women; the cover photo
is of four white women ranging in age from about 20 to 70.) There are
no drawings or photographs showing how the procedure is done, where
the incisions are made, what structures are removed or tightened.
My main
concern is that the potential risks and complications are not quantified
other than one blanket statement that the rate of complications from
facial plastic surgery is "below 1%, less than a tonsillectomy."
It doesn't mention where this figure came from or which procedures or
complications it actually includes. Infection, bleeding, hematoma, seroma,
incision complications, excessive scarring, reactions to anesthesia,
nerve and muscle damage are all mentioned as possible complications
but they are minimized; there is no discussion of the possibility of
poor aesthetic results.
I've seen
an increase in queries about cosmetic surgery in my library over the
past year, and have been looking for good resources to help answer them.
The questions have been rather more sophisticated than can be answered
by most of the consumer-oriented titles available. I long for a consumer-oriented
book on cosmetic surgery that falls somewhere in the middle between
blatantly promoting the procedures and castigating the entire field
as evil and anti-feminist. So far I have not found it.
Eris Weaver,
MPH, MLIS, AHIP, Redwood Health Library, Petaluma, CA
Ettinger,
Alan B. and Deborah M. Weisbrot. The Essential Patient Handbook:
Getting the Health Care You Need from Doctors Who Know. Demos,
2004. 300 p. ISBN 1-932603-02-6
This
is a powerful book written by two physicians who experienced health
care as patient and family of patient through a serious illness, hospitalization,
and recovery. This paperback book of 300 pages gives insight to
patients who wish to partner with their physician in their health care.
This book provides the tools and knowledge necessary to
empower a patient to become active in their health care choices. The
book includes numerous forms that can be used to organize health information
prior to appointments. Some of the forms included are History of
Present Illness, Past Medical History, Current Health Form, Review of
Symptoms, and several others. Each chapter includes detailed descriptions
of information needed to prepare for an appointment. Ettinger and
Weisbrot also share their perspective as physicians and explain the
reasons behind the questions asked by the health care provider during
a consultation.
The
book is most appropriate for those at a high school reading level. Each
chapter begins with a quote or anecdote that sets the tone and direction
of the chapter. The book includes an index (not available in the
reviewed copy), bibliography, and appendix with examples of completed
forms. The book includes sections on the medical evaluation process,
developing your own medical record, special situations (children, psychiatric,
impairment, and advanced directives), questions for the doctor, and
other useful information. The Essential Patient Handbook
will be a useful tool on the reference shelf at home or on the shelf
in a Consumer Health Library.
Carrie
Papa, MLIS, Library Manager, All Saints Healthcare, Library & Community
Resource Center, Racine, Wisconsin 53405
Publication
Information
Statement
Consumer Connections
(ISSN 1535-7821) is the newsletter of the Consumer
and Patient Information Section of the Medical LibraryAssociation and
is published quarterly.
Content for each issue is
cumulated online at http://caphis.mlanet.org/newsletter,
primarily during the first two months of the quarter; the issue is considered
complete at the end of the quarter. Notification of publication is sent
quarterly via the CAPHIS listserv. Newsletter articles and book reviews
are copyrighted; please contact the editor for reprint permission.
Submissions
Please submit items for Consumer
Connections during the third quarter for publication in the following
quarter.
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Please send submissions in
electronic format to the editors:
Howard Fuller
E -mail: hfuller@stanfordmed.org
Telephone: (650) 725-3308
or
Nancy Dickenson
E -mail: ndickenson@stanfordmed.org
Telephone: (650) 725-8100
FAX: (650) 725-1444
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