Consumer Connections
ISSN 1535-7821 Vol. 24 No. 4 2008
Announcements
MLA 2009
Articles
Book Reviews
- Mommy Calls: Dr. Tanya Answers Parent’s Top 101 Questions about Babies and Toddlers
- American Medical Association Complete Guide to Prevention and Wellness: What You Need to Know about Preventing Illness, Staying Healthy, and Living Longer
- Field Guide to Wilderness Medicine
- Breastfeeding: An Illustrated Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment
- Jane Brody’s Guide to the Great Beyond: A Practical Primer to Help You and Your Loved Ones Prepare for the End of Life
- Overcoming Prescription Drug Addiction: A Guide to Coping and Understanding.
- Cataract Surgery: A Patient's Guide to Cataract Treatment
- Healthy Child, Whole Child: Integrating the Best of Conventional and Alternative Medicine to Keep Your Kids Healthy
- Essentials of Human Diseases and Conditions, 4thEd.
- Answers to the Health Questions People Ask in Libraries
- The Medical Library Association Guide to Health Literacy
- Homebirth in the Hospital: Integrating Natural Childbirth into Modern Medicine
- Helping Children with Down Syndrome Communicate Better
- Poison Pills: The Untold Story of the Vioxx Drug Scandal
- Eating Disorders for Dummies
- The NICU Rollercoaster: How to Set Up and Use an Online Blog to Help Survive the Ups, Downs, Agonies, and Joys of Your Baby's Stay
Publication Information
Announcements
New Year, New You, Renewal
Friendly reminder from your Membership Chair!
Hello and Happy New Year to all! During these stressful economic times with budgets being cuts, furloughs occurring and a whole host of other issues, membership to professional organizations may take the back seat. I want to remind you that CAPHIS is only $15.00 to become a member and I know many of you will be renewing you memberships to MLA soon. Hope to see you renew your membership or even become a new member to a large group of individuals dedicated to bringing access to health and medical information to the general public nation-wide.
Submitted By: Meredith Solomon, CAPHIS Membership Chair
MLA 2009
Annual Meeting in Honolulu
Have you made plans to go to the MLA ‘09 Annual Meeting in Honolulu this year? In addition to sun, surf, sand, and scientific sessions, be sure you make time to attend this year’s CAPHIS program!
The Healthy Library: Creating a Culture of Wellness
Tuesday May 19 from 1:00pm - 2:30pm
Imagine your library as a workplace environment with many happy, productive and resilient employees with low absenteeism rates. Envision the enthusiasm of staff members who are enjoying the benefits of a positive, healthy workplace culture. Picture a low-cost program that offers a huge return on investment including excellent employee retention and lower healthcare costs. It sounds wonderful, but what are the considerations and steps to achieve such a scenario?
Please join us as several panelists share their experiences and offer insight into integrating healthy behaviors into the workplace: their vision, approach, outcomes and future plans. In addition, a short presentation will provide guidelines, practical steps and resources to help you get your healthy workplace program up and running!
Moderator:
Siobhan Champ-Blackwell, Outreach Coordinator, National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Mid-Continental Region
Speakers:
Dr. Loriene Roy, Professor of Library and Information Science, School of Information, University of Texas at Austin, Past President of American Library Association
Mary Ryan Director, Library, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences–Little Rock, President Medical Library Association
Carol Ann Attwood, Medical Librarian, Patient Health and Education Library, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona
Kelli Ham, Consumer Health Coordinator, National Network of Libraries of Medicine Pacific Southwest Region, UCLA Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library, Los Angeles, California
Articles
Update from the National Library of Medicine, Division of Specialized Information Services
Submitted By: Colette Hochstein, D.M.D., MLS (Colette@nlm.nih.gov), Division of Specialized Information Services, NLM.
Evaluation of Environmental Health Education Needs
The Outreach and Special Populations Branch (OOSP) of Specialized Information Services is conducting focus groups with elementary and middle school teachers to assess the requirements and need for an environmental health education Web portal. The assessment will help in developing a comprehensive Web portal of environmental health and toxicology resources for elementary, middle and high school students and teachers. The resource will include links to informational web pages, educational games, videos, podcasts and webcasts, and lessons plans. The portal will be organized to allow easy matching to national curriculum benchmarks. The portal will utilize existing NLM resources for children and adolescents, as well as vet resources developed by other governmental and educational institutions.
Enviro-Health Links: TVA Kingston Fossil Plant Coal Ash Spill, December 2008
On December 22, 2008, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Kingston Fossil Plant’s retention pond failed, creating a tidal wave of water and fly ash which destroyed several homes and ruptured a major gas line in a neighborhood located adjacent to the plant in Harriman, Tennessee. It is estimated that approximately 3.1 million cubic feet of fly ash and water were released on to land adjacent to the plant and into the nearby Clinch and Emory River. There is now concern about the potential effects of this spill on the quality of water, air and soil in the region.
From its extensive environmental health and toxicology resources, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) has compiled a Web page of links to chemical information on fly ash and medical journal articles on the ash’s possible human health effects, http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/enviro/coalashspill.html. These resources provide background information on fly ash, also known as coal ash, which is a by-product of burning coal in power plants to generate electricity.
Radiation Event Medical Management System (REMM)
The Radiation Event Medical Management System (REMM) can now be downloaded to mobile devices (Blackberry, Windows Mobile, Palm) with selected key files from the full online version. http://remm.nlm.gov
For Blackberry download, click on the following link from your Blackberry email and follow the directions: http://remm.nlm.gov/mremm/blackberry/ota/mremm.jad
REMM is produced by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Office of Planning and Emergency Operations, in cooperation with the National Library of Medicine, Division of Specialized Information Services, with subject matter experts from the National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and many US and international consultants.
REMM provides:
- Guidance for health care providers, primarily physicians, about clinical diagnosis and treatment during mass casualty radiological/nuclear (rad/nuc) events
- Just-in-time, evidence-based, usable information with sufficient background and context to make complex issues understandable to those without formal radiation medicine expertise
- Web-based information that is also downloadable in advance, so that it would be available during an event if the internet is not accessible.
NLM Drug Information Portal
A new version of the National Library of Medicine Drug Information Portal was released in October. The portal now covers over 16,000 drugs. http://druginfo.nlm.nih.gov
The update includes:
- Direct searching of drug categories, which are derived from the Medical Subject Heading (MeSH®) Pharmacological Action field http://www.nlm.nih.gov/bsd/disted/mesh/paterms.html
- Name and category suggestions, to eliminate common spelling errors
- Phrase parser that assists users in finding drug names within phrases
- The addition of the MeSH notes, when available, to spell checker results to make selection of a possible answer easier
- Searches retrieving multiple results now sorted by frequency of citation in PubMed®, from highest to lowest. This tends to show the most commonly used drugs first.
The Drug Information Portal is a free Web resource from the NLM that provides an informative, user friendly entry-way to current drug information for over 16,000 drugs. Links to sources span the breadth of NLM, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies. Current information regarding consumer health, clinical trials, AIDS–related drug information, MeSH pharmacological actions, PubMed biomedical literature, and physical properties and structure is easily retrieved by searching on a drug name. A varied selection of focused topics in medicine and drug–related information is also available from displayed subject headings.
ToxMystery
The NLM Specialized Information Services Division has collaborated with the Carnegie Science Center (www.CarnegieScienceCenter.org) in Pittsburgh, PA to create a ToxMystery exhibit kiosk. The kiosk was installed in the “Exploration Station” exhibition on the Science Center's fourth floor in late 2008.
The exhibit is a touch-screen computer kiosk that allows visitors to explore the ToxMystery house's rooms and garage. The kiosk's bright green and yellow design attracts kids to play and learn about toxic substances that can lurk in the home. The project is part of SIS's investigation into ways of closing the information gap in environmental health resources for elementary school age children. ToxMystery kiosk blueprints will be available for use by other museums.
ToxMystery (http://toxmystery.nlm.nih.gov) is the National Library of Medicine's interactive learning site for children ages 7 to 10. With lively animations, surprising sound effects and lots of positive reinforcement, ToxMystery provides a fun, game-like experience, while teaching important lessons about potential environmental health hazards.
The Carnegie Science Center is an interactive science museum with some 300 hands-on exhibits in approximately 75,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space.
Class Opportunity: TOXNET® and Beyond
The TOXNET® and Beyond class covers using the National Library of Medicine's Environmental Health and Toxicology Portal. Classes will be held Wednesday, February 25, 2009 and Wednesday, March 11, 2009, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM ET.
February 25
National Library of Medicine
8600 Rockville Pike
Building 38A, 4th Floor Training Room (4S-412)
Bethesda, MD 20894
March 11
Folsom Lake College
Folsom Lake College Library
10 College Parkway
Folsom, CA 95630
This full-day class is designed to convey the basics of searching the NLM's TOXNET, a web-based system of databases in the areas of toxicology, environmental health, and related subjects. Students learn the content and structure of files covering toxicology data, toxicology literature, toxic releases, and chemical searching and nomenclature. Among the databases highlighted are TOXLINE®, the Hazardous Substances Data Bank, the Integrated Risk Information System, the Toxic Release Inventory, and ChemIDplus. This class is for U.S. domestic searchers. There are no fees for training but students must cover their own travel and lodging. Classes are held throughout the United States. The training schedule and other details are available from the web site of the National Training Center and Clearinghouse: http://nnlm.gov/ntcc .
The TOXNET class is awarded 6 MLA continuing education credits.http://nnlm.gov/ntcc/classes/schedule.html#class5
Contact: National Training Center and Clearinghouse 800-338-7657 (press 2)
Stay Updated!
NLM-Tox-Enviro-Health-L is an email announcement list available from the National Library of Medicine (NLM)'s Division of Specialized Information Services (SIS). The purpose of the announcement list is to broadcast updates on SIS's resources, services, and outreach in toxicology and environmental health. The NLM-Tox-Enviro-Health-L Archives allow users to search list postings, and to modify subscription options.
To subscribe to the NLM-Tox-Enviro-Health-L announcement list, please send the following text in the body of an email to listserv@list.nih.gov: SUBSCRIBE NLM-Tox-Enviro-Health-L your name or use the list serv web page:
http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/enviro/envirolistserv.html
Book Reviews
Altmann, Tanya Remer, MD, FAAP. Mommy Calls: Dr. Tanya Answers Parent’s Top 101 Questions about Babies and Toddlers. American Academy of Pediatrics, 2009. 178p. Index. ISBN: 9781581102956. $12.95.
This book was written because babies don’t come with user’s manuals.
And new parents need to find appropriate answers to all the perplexing problems that a baby brings along. The purpose in writing this book was to provide answers or more realistically to provide reassurance to new families.
Written by an experienced pediatrician (and a Mom herself), Dr. Altmann’s book provides answers to some of the most common situations and issues that occur within Baby’s first year. These questions were compiled from years of telephone and emergency room consults and personal experience with two boys. Endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the information offered in the book abides by best practice guidelines produced by the AAP. The question and answer format is easy to read. Dr. Altmann uses using everyday language, “fever” – not “febrile”, “snot” not “mucus discharge”. The book is sub-divided in general topics such as feeding issues but an excellent index makes things easy to find. Because the issues and appropriate responses change as baby grows, each section gives age specific advice for infants, babies and toddlers. Parents are prompted to call a pediatrician when deemed necessary.
Consider this book the new “slim line” Dr. Spock. You might want to include this as part of the next baby gift you purchase. I think most new parents will appreciate the backup!
Reviewed by: Elyse Pike, Health Sciences Library, Grey Bruce Health Services, Owen Sound, Ontario Canada.
American Medical Association. American Medical Association Complete Guide to Prevention and Wellness: What You Need to Know about Preventing Illness, Staying Healthy, and Living Longer. Wiley, 2008. 544p. $35.00. ISBN 978-0-470-25130-0.
Prevention is the best way to maintain health. The American Medical Association has produced a guide to help people stay healthy. The first part of the book covers the basics: good nutrition, exercise, weight control, stress reduction, reducing health risks, and health care to maintain wellness. Offering information on topics such as recommended amounts of dietary fiber and the best types of fat, exercise guidelines, and calculating body mass index, as well as preventing prescription drug abuse and eating disorders, this is a comprehensive work. The second part discusses preventing specific health problems: heart disease and stroke, cancer, infections. It also covers allergy control, reducing dementia risks, and keeping all of the body’s systems healthy. Smoking cessation, regular dental care, and prevention of food and animal-borne infections as well as immunization and headache prevention are just a few of the topics covered. The final section contains advice for keeping children and adolescents healthy. It also offers information about men’s and women’s reproductive health and preventing premature aging. The reading level is tenth grade, but this is an excellent addition to both public and consumer health library collections.
Reviewed by: Barbara M. Bibel, Oakland Public Library, Oakland, CA.
Auerbach Paul S. MD, MS, FACEP, FAWM, Howard J. Donner, MD, and Eric A. Weiss, MD, FACEP. Field Guide to Wilderness Medicine, Third Edition. Mosby, Inc., 2008. 888p. Index. ISBN: 9781416046981. $38.65.
Written by three co-authors that specialize in surgery and wilderness medicine, support for the book came from academic medicine, wilderness survival groups, and the Outward Bound Foundation. The text is specifically written for medical professionals, not consumers, and font size is small, reflecting the need to keep the text accessible for transport in a backpack on wilderness treks in a backpack. Both the title page and preface direct the reader to check carefully on current recommendations prior to the implementation of specific therapies. The disclaimer clearly reminds the reader that the guide is for trained professionals, not amateurs.
Specific chapters address topics as diverse as high altitude medicine, hypothermia, heat related illnesses, lightning injuries, and traumatic injuries including shock, head injury, orthopedic, and life threatening injuries. In many cases, lacking the appropriate medical equipment for splints or a tracheotomy, the authors clearly illustrate alternative methods that can be implemented utilizing available supplies found in the wilderness.
A collection of appendices includes the Glasgow Coma scale, priority first aid equipment, and sample kits for basic wilderness survival, winter and desert survival, and medications specific to pediatric and women’s health. Color illustrations are numerous and subject specific, assisting in discrimination of viperous snakes, poisonous mushrooms, and different types of dermatological problems. Fully referenced with an index of all the topics, this book would serve as a useful tool for medical practitioners who aid and assist those who are injured in the wilderness. This text would be more complex than that needed by a consumer, but would serve as an adjunct to the Wilderness Medicine textbook for those working or traveling to wilderness areas.
Reviewed by: Carol Ann Attwood, MLS, AHIP, MPH, RN, C, Medical Librarian, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Patient and Health Education Library, Scottsdale, AZ.
Both, Denise and Kerri Frischknecht. Breastfeeding: An Illustrated Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment. Mosby Elsevier, 2008. 88p. Index. ISBN: 9780729538886. $55.95.
The authors of this book have extensive professional backgrounds in lactation education in Europe and Australia and have published widely on this subject. Denise Both is the editor of the European Journal for Breastfeeding and the book was originally written in German.
This 88 page book is written for the health care professional working in the specialized area of lactation problems. Each diagnosis and treatment is supported by a color photograph. Over 200 color photographs are used in the text. The photographs are also available an accompanying CD which makes this an excellent resource for the student or educator. The appendix includes a glossary, references, addresses, websites and an index. The resource list at the end of the book favors a European audience, but the comprehensiveness of the appendices still make them useful to North Americans.
This academic book is suitable for a large library in a teaching facility. It is not recommended for a consumer health library.
Reviewed by: Rene L. Brown, M.L.S., Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center, Williamsburg, VA.
Brody, Jane. Jane Brody’s Guide to the Great Beyond: A Practical Primer to Help You and Your Loved Ones Prepare for the End of Life. Random House, 2009. 272p. ISBN: 078-1- 4000-6654-4.
Woody Allen cleverly expressed a view on death and dying shared by many when he stated: “I am not afraid of death, I just don’t want to be there when it happens.” The reason we laugh at Mr. Allen’s statement is because we understand that we disassociate thoughts about how we will inevitably end our lives - when we think of our mortality at all - from our everyday living. Jane Brody’s latest book aims to teach readers how to meet death with dignity, peace and on one’s own terms, and in doing so, provides patients and caregivers with the information needed to make difficult decisions easier for when they will ultimately need to be faced. Brody, best known for her Personal Health column for the New York Times, and author of ten, popular medical titles, has added another readable and informative title to the list. Using personal case studies throughout the book, Brody illustrates the medical, financial, legal and practical issues that we encounter as we deal with a poor prognosis or care for those we love in their final days. The guide discusses how to plan and prepare for the inevitable and covers many important topics including: how to control pain; the special needs of dying children and their families; how advanced directives are different from living wills and why it is essential for all adults to have one and a health care proxy; the symptoms and signs of active dying; planning and paying for one’s funeral; palliative and hospice care; what is coma, and how to speak with the dying. Each chapter provides references for further reading. Brody’s writing is clear, her tone is conversational and the information is presented with a great deal of sensitivity, insight and practicality, which makes this book accessible to a very broad audience – from general reader to health care professional.
There are other books on this subject currently available, notably the outstanding, Handbook for Mortals: Guidance for People Facing Serious Illness. Brody’s guide should work as a companion piece to the Handbook as it offers unique information that is important to patients and relates it well. The problem of “disappearing doctors” is familiar to many loved ones at the time of a patient’s death. Brody provides great compassion and advice about what loved ones can do about this problem, and this is a great contribution to the literature.
Finally, readers may still not want to be around when death arrives, but Brody’s guide will leave them better prepared to actively determine how it will be met. Recommended for all health collections.
Reviewed by: Gail Y. Hendler, Tufts University Hirsh Health Sciences Library, Boston, MA.
Colvin, Rod. Overcoming Prescription Drug Addiction: A Guide to Coping and Understanding. Addicus Books, Inc., 2008. 188p. Appendices and index. ISBN: 978-1-886039-88-9. $21.95.
Overcoming Prescription Drug Addiction was written in response to the death of the author’s brother on his thirty-fifth birthday due to long-term addiction to prescription drugs. Although Ron Colvin is not an expert on drug addiction (his degrees are in sociology and counseling psychology) and is the publisher of Addicus Books, this well-documented book presents the subject in an authoritative manner. The primary and most comprehensive section of the book, Coping with Addition, is divided into seven chapters: Understanding Addiction, Voices of Recovery, Treatment for Addiction, Insights on Recovery from Addiction Medicine Physicians, Support for Families, Pain Management and Addiction, and Seniors: At Risk for Drug Misuse and Addiction. Understanding Addiction includes many references; for instance, a definition of “drug abuse” comes from Jaffe’s The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics and a Prescription Drug Abuse Checklist is reprinted from the Women’s Alcohol and Drug Education Project. Several chapters include first-person accounts by either former addicts and their families or addiction medicine specialists. Interestingly, many people become addicted to prescription drugs which are prescribed for a legitimate medical condition (i.e., chronic pain from Crohn’s disease, kidney stones). The second section of the book deals with Obtaining Fraudulent Prescriptions and the art of addicts diverting drugs from physicians and pharmacies. The last section discusses local, state, federal, and international efforts to curb drug abuse. Two appendices are included: Categories of Controlled Substances and Drugs to Avoid if You’re Over Sixty-Five. A comprehensive list of resources and associations completes the book. Although the readability of this book is at the eleventh grade level, it is recommended as an addition to the consumer health collection.
Reviewed by: Donna J. McCloskey, MLIS, Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville, Health Information Center, Huntersville, NC.
Devgan, Uday. Cataract Surgery: A Patient’s Guide to Cataract Treatment. Addicus Books, 2008. 121p. Index. ISBN: 978-1-886039-94-0. $21.95.
Dr. Uday Devgan, Chief of Ophthalmology at UCLA Medical Center and Associate Clinical Professor at UCLA School of Medicine, has written a concise overview of cataract surgery. The format is logical, moving from anatomy and definitions to causes and risk factors to surgery and recovery. A 19-page glossary defines words printed in italics throughout the text. The type is large, with a lot of white space, which will be appreciated by those with cataracts themselves. Many clear illustrations and photos show eyes pre- and post- surgery, equipment used in surgery, and what the world looks like with and without cataracts. Dr. Devgan’s writing is personable and even lyrical at times, and his tone is reassuring. He says that cataract surgery will restore vision of a sixty to ninety year old patient to that of a forty year old. An explanation of the differences between an ophthalmologist, optometrist and optician is included, which will be helpful to patients who never needed eye care before. He is in agreement with the National Eye Institute and the American Academy of Ophthalmology, when he states that surgery is the only effective way to treat cataracts. He then proceeds to outline different surgical options, many with names like phacomoemulsification that he patiently explains syllable by syllable, exploring the benefits and risks of each. A resource list is included, but bibliographic references are lacking, prompting me to check a few data points (which were accurate). Cataract Surgery is a welcome addition to consumer health collections.,
Reviewed by: Cara Helfner, MSLIS, Faulkner Hospital, Boston, MA.
Ditchek, Stuart H. and Russel H Greenfield. Healthy Child, Whole Child: Integrating the Best of Conventional and Alternative Medicine to Keep Your Kids Healthy. Collins Living, 2009. 314p. Index. ISBN: 978-0-06-168598-9. $17.95.
Written in a pleasurable style that makes for enjoyable reading, Ditchek and Greenfield have brought parents a concise reference on what integrative medicine is and how it applies to their child's health. The first section begins with a brief description of the differences between conventional, complementary, alternative, and integrative medicine. After describing the purpose of the immune system, the authors then discuss how to keep children’s, and parents’, immune systems functioning properly through preventative strategies. Two important points they come back to several times are the significance of proper immunization and the proper use of antibiotics. The second section describes some of the methods used in complementary and alternative medicines, such as acupressure and botanical medicine, and their usage for children. In the last section, specific common illnesses are discussed with examples of integrative approaches to healing. While there is a resource list in the back of the book that compliments each chapter, I would have preferred to have these at the end of each chapter. While there are many books on integrative and CAM medicines, this one specifically focuses on the use of integrative medicine for children giving cautions for recognizing the significant differences between adult bodies and children’s bodies in the practice of integrative medicine. Ditchek and Greenfield are both board certified physicians with additional training in integrative medicine. Ditchek, a clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at the New York University School of Medicine divides his time between his academic and clinical schedule. Greenfield was the founding medical director of a healthcare system in Charlotte, NC, developed a supermarket chain’s wellness program and works with home builders to construct greener, healthier homes.
Reviewed by: Amy Six-Means, MLIS.
Frazier, Margaret S. and Jeanette W. Drzymkowski. Essentials of Human Diseases and Conditions, 4thEd. Saunders, Elsevier, 2009. 839p. Index. ISBN: 978-1-4160-4714-8. $59.95.
This reference is designed to facilitate “knowledge and best practice” (Publisher’s Notice, p. iv), intended for use by students in health related classes and curricula as well as for use by health care providers involved in any aspect of direct patient care. The authors describe the book as an “encyclopedic but simplified handbook” (Preface, p. vii).
Basic information on the mechanism, diagnosis, and treatment of disease as well as development and congenital diseases and disorders are covered in the first chapters. The remaining chapters are structured around the diseases and conditions specific to each body system. Two appendices (“Common Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests” and “Resource Agencies”), a glossary, and index complete the volume.
Each chapter includes several key features especially valuable for use with students and/or to provide quick reference for patient care in a clinical situation: learning objectives; a list of key terms; “Enrichment” boxes; “Alert” boxes; and easily located ICD-9-CM diagnostic codes. The text itself is broken up with a large number of drawings, figures, charts, and photographs for an easy-to-read format.
This book would be an excellent resource for a reference collection. However, because of its strong emphasis on the clinical approach to diseases and instructional format, there is generally “too much information” on a given topic (ICD-9-CM Codes, graphic photos, Learning Objectives, etc.) for the average consumer.
The authors share a background in nursing and both hold RN, BS degrees, but have also utilized the expertise of a large editorial board with a variety of medical backgrounds.
Reviewed by: Cheryl Rowan, Houston Academy of Medicine-Texas Medical Center Library, Houston, TX.
Kane, Laura T., Rozalynd P. McConnaughy and Steven P.Wilson with David L. Townsend. Answers to the Health Questions People Ask in Libraries. Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2008. 278p. Index. ISBN: 978-1-55570-642-5. $65 (soft cover).
Early in 2007, a team of librarians at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Library conducted a survey among health sciences librarians, asking them to list the most common health-related reference questions they received, and the most bizarre health questions they have been asked. This book was developed as a response to the 271 results of that survey.
There are sections about major health concerns (cancer, heart disease, diabetes, HIV/AIDS), family health, nutrition and fitness, complementary and alternative medicine, drug information, and misunderstood or unusual health conditions. A list of resources is shown after each answer. In addition, there are a glossary of experts (descriptions of what various specialists do) and a list of print and web health information resources for the public. The book is meant to be a “one stop shop” for authoritative answers to health questions. For example, in the cancer area, the first question is: “What are the risk factors for lung cancer?” The answer includes detailed information about the impact of smoking, air pollution, radon, other carcinogens such as asbestos, and prior pulmonary disease.
As noted in the preface, this book could be made available in doctors’ offices, libraries, hospitals, and health clinics, or wherever health care consumers may visit. The reader-friendly format and wide range of topics provide a useful resource for its intended audience.
Reviewed by: Sheila Thomas, Churchville, MD.
Kars, Marge, Lynda M. Baker and Feleta L. Wilson, editors. The Medical Library Association Guide to Health Literacy. Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2008. 314p. Index. ISBN: 978-1-55570-625-8. $75.00.
Marge Kars is manager of the Health Sciences Library and Bronson HealthAnswers, a consumer health information center at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Michigan. She chairs Bronson’s health literacy initiative, working with other departments to train staff. Lynda Baker is Associate Professor in the LIS program at Wayne State University in Detroit and teaches courses on health sciences librarianship and consumer health. Feleta Wilson is an Associate Professor in Nursing at Wayne State University. Dr. Wilson has developed a program of research on patient education and patient health literacy. Among the 17 notable and qualified contributors are Kristine Alpi, Barbara Bibel, Andrea Keyon, and Misa Mi.
The goal of this guide is to inform and inspire librarians in all types of libraries to help their communities liver longer and healthier lives. As the editors of this book state, “Because the importance of health literacy transcends any particular library boundary, we decided the book should be a forum for LIS professionals involved in the health literacy movement. To provide a comprehensive overview, we recruited practitioners from all types of libraries to write about health literacy from their unique perspectives. After reading this guide, librarians should be better able to understand the issues that comprise health literacy, learning how to help others become health literate and how to become change agents within their organizations.” The book is not meant to be read cover-to-cover, but readers can select chapters relevant to their situations and interests. Each author defines health literacy as it relates to their work.
The book has 16 chapters, divided into four parts. The four parts:- Cover the essential issues surrounding health literacy;
- Identify influence of culture, ethnicity, special needs, and age in health;
- Identify the nation's best practices for public and hospital library consumer health programs and services;
- Suggest proven ways libraries can initiate their own or partner with other health literacy programs.
Chapters 1 through 4 includes the introduction to the issues of health literacy, defining different types of health literacy by reviewing the literature, and covers the role of social bias in health encounters, as well as cultural competency of librarians. A list of readability formulae and literacy tests used in the healthcare setting are included here.
Chapters 5 through 10 cover issues such as the impact of low literacy on the patient and family, a summary of the literature on the relationship between low literacy and patient outcomes, health literacy for people with disabilities, a new model of health literacy, and the health reference interview.
Chapters 11 through 16 present examples of collaborations, health literacy initiatives in Canada and how to find funding for health literacy initiatives.
Reviewed by: Theresa Johnson, MLIS, Sutter Resource Library, Sacramento, CA.
Kerr MD, Stacey M. Homebirth in the Hospital: Integrating Natural Childbirth into Modern Medicine. Sentient Publications, 2008. 212 p. ISBN: 978-1-59181-077-3. $16.95.
If you are thinking about becoming pregnant, read this book. If you are a newly pregnant family, read this book. If you are a medical professional who wants to understand the birthing experience from the doctor’s or woman’s point of view, read this book.
The author, Dr Stacey Kerr, is a western-medicine trained family physician who provides her patients with an integrative childbirth experience in a hospital setting. “Integrative” is defined as a practice philosophy in which Mother Nature, the birth family AND medical protocols are used to achieve a successful birth. The patients’ needs (both mother and baby) are foremost in the decision-making process.
The fifteen birthing stories are written by the mothers, who provide the emotional, physical and spiritual information on their birthing experiences. Dr. Kerr plays the role of Greek chorus, providing medical information. Not all of the experiences have happy endings. Jesse’s mother, Bobbi, wrote a heart-wrenching, spiritual narrative of her family’s experience of his birth day at 23 weeks in utero. Jesse did not physically survive the experience, but will live on in your heart. Logan’s story, of surviving his mother’s cervical cancer, shows how medical protocols can successfully interact with Mother Nature.
The author writes of the paths that brought her to her present capability of a spiritual physician. While this type of medicine may not appeal to you, it is important to know the possibilities. For this reason, if no other, the book should be part of your collection.
Reviewed by: Katy Lencioni, MS, MLIS, Midwestern University, Downers Grove, IL
Kumin, Libby. Helping Children with Down Syndrome Communicate Better. Woodbine House, 2008. 393p. Index. ISBN: 978-1-890627-54-6. $24.95.
Libby Kuman, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, has written four other books about communication skills and Down syndrome children. This book is a sequel to Dr. Kuman’s book, Early Communication Skills for Children with Down Syndrome, which focuses on the ages of birth to approximately 3 years old. Written for both parents and professionals, the book provides in-depth information on the communication challenges of Down syndrome children from the ages of 6-14. A wealth of information is provided to help parents and professionals help Down syndrome children develop strong communication skills. The book begins by explaining the differences between language, communication, and speech, and ends with advise to parents that developing communication skills in their children with Down is a never-ending journey. The book provides treatment plans, a resource guide, suggestions for games that will help to build speech and language skills, and samples of diagnostics, and school reports.
A critical part of any handbook geared toward this age group, the book provides advice for navigating within the school system to achieve the best possible outcomes for the Down syndrome child. What parents can expect, as well as how to overcome possible obstacles, is explained. Advice on what parents can provide to school professionals to provide them with a better idea of a particular child's abilities is covered. Exercises and activities that parents can use at home to enforce formal learning are provided in each section.
Dr. Kuman founded the Down Syndrome Speech and Language Center for Excellence at Loyola College Columbia Center.
Reviewed by: Nancy Speisser, Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital, Virginia Beach, VA.
Nesi, Tom. Poison Pills: The Untold Story of the Vioxx Drug Scandal. St. Martin’s Press, 2008. 270p. ISBN: 978-0-312-36959-0. $25.95.
Tom Nesi, a thirty year pharmaceutical executive and medical industry insider and a consultant for Merck & Co. introduced Vioxx as a miracle drug for the millions of arthritis and chronic pain sufferers. Vioxx, and its rival Celebrex (manufactured by Pfizer), belong to a class of medications called cox-2 inhibitors, which relieves pain and inflammation like aspirin and ibuprofen, but without causing injury to the stomach. Many scientists also believed cox-2 inhibitors could also reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and prevent colon cancer. However, scientific reports of potentially dangerous side effects, including heart disease and death, almost immediately surfaced. Both pharmaceutical companies vigorously fought the allegations through heavy advertising and public relations campaigns. Shortly after Vioxx and Celebrex were unveiled, competition between Merck and Pfizer became fierce, as Merck netted $2.5 million in annual sales of Vioxx.
Through numerous interviews, documentation and testimony, Nesi shows that Merck knew of Vioxx’s dangerous side effects, but nonetheless deliberately suppressed the case studies and pushed ahead to market the drug. Nesi also exposes the conflicts of interest, breeches of medical ethics, and the shocking lapses in the United States Food and Drug Administration’s regulation, leading to September 2004 when Vioxx was hastily removed from the market, amid Vioxx related deaths and injuries and class action lawsuits.
Readers will find the book easy to comprehend as the author chronicles pharmaceutical history, how medical ethics evolved over time, and how & when cox-2 inhibitors were discovered. At the end of the book, the author acknowledges the assistance he received at the National Library of Medicine and the Princeton University Library. While this is a work of nonfiction, readers will be entrenched with "Poison Pills," as the book reads almost as a Michael Crichton suspense thriller. This book will make a good addition to consumer health and public libraries.
Reviewed by: Latrina Keith, New York Academy of Medicine Library, New York, NY
Schulherr, Susan. Eating Disorders for Dummies. Wiley Publishing, 2008. 364p. Index. ISBN: 978-0-470-22549-3. $19.99.
As much as we would like to blame the media, isn’t all due to cultural worship of waify supermodels and ultra-thin actresses. Eating disorders are complex physical and psychological conditions that require treatment well beyond turning off the television.
Susan Schulherr, a licensed clinical social worker and author of several papers on binge-diet cycles, makes the most of her expertise in eating disorders as well as the “For Dummies” format in this thorough, easily understandable book about the three most common conditions: anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder. Large sections focus on understanding the psychology and emotions of these disorders, treatment options, special populations and support information for family members. The “For Dummies” icons populate the margins, designating important points, warnings and tips. These are effective devices in this context; they draw the reader’s attention to vital points within the wealth of information the author provides.
Schulherr’s therapy background is evident in her thorough coverage of treatment options available for eating disorder patients and loved ones. Especially effective is the author’s practical examples of modes of therapy with fictional patient “Julie”. She learns what each therapy type entails, what a typical session might be like and how it is supposed to benefit recovery.
Because the “For Dummies” format is supposed to be accessible from any starting point, e.g. the reader can start at any chapter of interest, the information can be repetitive if read from cover to cover. Nevertheless, it would be an appropriate addition to public and consumer health libraries as a complement to other eating disorder references.
Reviewed by: Stephanie Harris, Graese Community Health Library, Orlando Regional Healthcare, Orlando, FL.
Zimmerman, Nicole and Edward J. Sprague. The NICU Rollercoaster: How to set up and use an Online Blog to Help Survive the Ups, Downs, Agonies, and Joys of Your Baby’s Stay. Xlibris Corp., 2008. 179p. ISBN: 978-1-4363-2654-4. $19.99.
Nicole and Ed are the parents of premature twins, born at 25 weeks. This is their story of what their lives became when suddenly submerged in the unfamiliar NICU environment. This is a story of coping, candid emotions, highs and lows, and of survival. It is also a story of hope and a guide for parents, family and friends who face similar situations. While the title is a bit misleading as the book doesn’t actually discuss setting up on online blog, it is an excellent example of how a blog like Carepages can be used effectively. Carepages is a password-protected e-diary service offered by many children’s hospitals. While phoning friends and family can be difficult, time-consuming and enervating, Carepages offers an alternative. It is more than just a tool to keep in touch with others; it is a way to share photos, log feelings and keep a written record of the ordeal. Intertwined with the detailed account of the twin’s progress, the parents share tips on how to cope with guilt, feeling overwhelmed, financial issues and the stress of having babies in the NICU. They share their thoughts on handling time off from work, rooming in, medical lingo and equipment, the rollercoaster ride of joys and setbacks, and the reality of taking one baby home before the other. They explain medical procedures in common terms and from a parents’ perspective. Their story is real and touching. While parents in this situation may not have the time or energy to read this e-diary, it is an insightful account of what happens in the NICU and will help friends and family be more understanding and supportive.
Reviewed by: Nancy O’Brien, AHIP, Iowa Health Des Moines, Des Moines, IA.
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Consumer Connections (ISSN 1535-7821) is the newsletter of the Consumer and Patient Information Section of the Medical Library Association. It is published on the CAPHIS website quarterly. Notification of publication is sent via the CAPHIS listserv. CAPHIS is the largest section of the Medical Library Association.
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