Consumer Connections
ISSN 1535-7821 Vol. 24 No. 1 2008
CAPHIS at MLA 2008
Articles
- CAPHIS Kudos
- Update from the National Library of Medicine, Division of Specialized Information Services
Reviews
- A Woman's Guide to Hormone Health: The Creator's Way for Managing Menopause
- Autism in your Classroom: A General Educator's Guide to Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Last Call: Alcoholism and Recovery
- The Art of Aging: A Doctor’s Prescription for Well-Being
- Overcoming Urinary Incontinence: A Woman's Guide to Treatment
- Gifts: Mothers Reflect on How Children With Down Syndrome Enrich Their Lives
Publication Information
Announcements
Come see us in Chicago! CAPHIS Events at MLA 2008
Please mark your schedule and support these exciting CAPHIS events at MLA
The Bridge Is Out: Better Learn How to Swim--Coping with Budget Cuts--Creative Solutions in Lean Times
Sunday, May 18, 2008
4:30 pm to 6:00 pm
Location: Grand Ballroom A
Contact: Tammy Mays
Description: In theory, at least, the more people use something, the less likely it is to be cut from the budget. The more beneficial the library service, the more secure it is. So wouldn't it be great if libraries could attract overflowing crowds. This session addresses the budget cuts challenges faced by all libraries. Potential solutions will be presented, as well as creative marketing/branding will also be addressed.
Consent or Obedience? Medical Authority and Consumer Health Education: Bridging the Medical Ethics Gap
Monday, May 19, 2008
2:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Location: Grand Ballroom A
Contact: Tammy Mays
Description: Today, the Internet has transformed the way consumer health information is distributed and who has access. Consumers have access to multiple, conflicting sources of medical information and in order to decipher this information it calls for skills and strategies for judging the trustworthiness of a source. This program will discuss the ethics of research on medical authority and knowledge e.g. how consumers use health information and the ethical implications of that.
The Executive Board Meeting will be held on Sunday, May 18, 2008: 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m., Room: Atlanta.
The Business Meeting will be held Monday, May 19, 2008: 6:00 p.m. -8:00 p.m., Room: TBD
CAPHIS CE at MLA 2008 – Patient Education and Health Libraries
Patient Education and Consumer Health Libraries: Collaborating for Improved Patient Care, a CE Symposium at this year’s MLA Annual Meeting in Chicago, presents compelling evidence and case studies of consumer library implementation and the role collaboration plays in improved outcome for both patient education and consumer health education for health promotion, disease management, patient safety, and scientific literacy. In essence, librarians (academic, public, or hospital) + clinicians and health educators, working together = improved patient and consumer health, health care, and health literacy.
Those already well versed in consumer health information services and health literacy will gain valuable ideas for approaching leadership in their own organizations to discuss the compelling merits of healthcare provider and librarian collaboration for improved communication, and increased consumer/patient satisfaction.
The keynote for this program, “Deliver the Best Patient Care through Partnerships with Patient Education and Consumer Health Libraries,” will be delivered by David Baker, MD, MPH, Professor of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University; and Chief, General Internal Medicine, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL.
Other featured speakers include: Elaina Cundiff, MPH, Manager of MD Anderson’s The Learning Center; Mindwell Egeland, MLS, Director of the Patients’ Library, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics; Mary Gillaspy, MLS, MS, Manager of the Health Learning Centers at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago; Martin Morris, Ph.D., Vice President and Chief Development Officer of the Salem and West Valley Hospital Foundations, Salem, OR; Magdalyn Patyk, MS, RN, Program Manager for Patient Education, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Judy Rycombel, Librarian, Arlington Heights Memorial Library; Holly Trandel, BA, Program Coordinator, Health Learning Center at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago; and Barbara Bibel, MLA, MA, and current CAPHIS chair, Oakland Public Library, Oakland, CA.
Further information about this symposium and MLA 2008 is available at http://www.mlanet.org/am/am2008/ce/800.html
Submitted by: Howard Fuller, Stupski Foundation, Mill Valley, CA.
Articles
CAPHIS Kudos
In February 2008 the Omaha World-Herald published an article about the empowered patient and the search for health information in their Healthwise section. The article focuses on the search for health information online, specifically detailing how Internet resources (including the CAPHIS web site) and librarians available at the local libraries in Omaha can be of great help in finding quality, reliable information. Congratulations to Teresa Hartman and the team at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s McGoogan Medical Library as well as the hard workers at Omaha Public Library for getting such great recognition in the news!
To read the full article, go to: http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=3189&u_sid=10245534
Submitted by: Joey Nicholson, National Training Center and Clearinghouse, The New York Academy of Medicine, New York, NY.
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.
The Division of Specialized Information Services (SIS, http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/) at the National Library of Medicine (NLM) creates information resources and services in toxicology, environmental health, chemistry, and HIV/AIDS. Another component of SIS, the Office of Outreach and Special Populations, seeks to improve access to quality and accurate health information by underserved and special populations. Many SIS products help to address the toxicology and environmental health information needs of the general public.
NLM Disaster Information Management Research Center
The National Library of Medicine has released a web resource about its new Disaster Information Management Research Center (DIMRC). http://disasterinfo.nlm.nih.gov.
The DIMRC web site seeks to provide access to quality disaster health information at all stages of preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery. Initially, the site will focus on NLM and NLM-supported resources and activities. It will then expand to include other sources of authoritative disaster health information.
NLM has a long history of providing health information during times of disaster. Recognizing the potential of libraries as untapped resources in preparing for disasters, and responding to the current increased need for disaster health information, DIMRC was created to aid the nation's disaster management efforts.
DIMRC is tasked with the collection, organization, and dissemination of health information for natural, accidental, or deliberate disasters. The Center is committed to providing this information as part of the federal effort to help prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the adverse health effects of disasters. It will work with federal, state, and local government, private organizations, and local communities.
DIMRC will focus its efforts on providing disaster health information resources and informatics research that will be directly beneficial for public health officials, healthcare providers, special populations, and the public.
Drug Information Portal Released
The Drug Information Portal (http://druginfo.nlm.nih.gov/) is a new resource from the National Library of Medicine (NLM) that provides an informative, user–friendly portal to current drug information for over 15,000 drugs. Links to sources span the breadth of NLM, 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.
The basic name–search/retrieval architecture is provided by NLM's Chemical Identification/Dictionary, ChemIDplus®. The Drug Portal contains over 194,000 unique searchable drug names and their synonyms. Successful searching is further enhanced by a spellchecker which offers suggestions for misspelled drug names.
Pharmacological actions (PA) indicate how a drug behaves in the body by describing intended chemical actions and uses that result in prevention, treatment, cure or diagnosis of a condition or disease. Drugs usually have multiple actions and uses. From the results page, the listed categories of MeSH® pharmacological actions can be selected and then searched to identify other drugs associated with this category or classification. When a specific category is selected, the corresponding pharmacologic action and description can be displayed from a listing of MeSH® PA categories.
TOXMAP: New Health Data, Roads, TRI 2006TOXMAP now includes the 2006 Toxics Release Inventory data (TRI) (http://www.epa.gov/tri/tridata/tri06/index.htm). TOXMAP’s cancer and health data has been updated, and health risk information links and EPA Environmental Health news have been added.
In addition, TOXMAP now offers more detailed roads at a variety of map scales. (Roads and other reference data can be hidden from maps via the "Other Data" subtab.)
Other recent changes include:
- Facility details include latitude/longitude and links to Google Maps
- Redesigned Search and Set Region pages
- Added "go to" page number for search results
- Added aggregate release data values in downloadable TRI facility data
- Added HTML Site Map
- Added Income 2003 demographic layer
- Added ability to link directly to site details (all map types)
Radiation Event Medical Management (REMM)
Radiation Event Medical Management (REMM) (http://remm.nlm.gov) is a Department of Health and Human Services web site that seeks to assist health care professionals, primarily physicians, who may have to provide medical care during a radiation mass casualty incident. REMM provides easy to follow algorithms for diagnosis and management of radiation contamination and exposure, guidance for the use of radiation countermeasures, and a variety of other features to facilitate medical responses.
Continuing education credits (CME, CNE, CEU and CHES) sponsored by CDC are now available to REMM users (http://remm.nlm.gov/cme.htm). CE credits will be available until January 15, 2009.
Mobile REMM for PDAs (Blackberry, Palm, Pocket PC) is now completed. Users can sign up to be a beta tester (email nlmremm@mail.nih.gov).
The REMM web site will soon add more detailed information on the clinical phases of Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS) as well as a new section on the cutaneous subsyndrome of ARS (with many clinical photographs), and more detailed information on the hematologic subsyndrome of ARS (http://remm.nlm.gov/ars.htm) .
A set of full color wall posters displaying the major REMM clinical algorithms is now available at no charge. Send your name and address to nlmremm@mail.nih.gov (must be US address; one set per requester).
Special Populations: Emergency and Disaster PreparednessA new Web page that addresses emergency and disaster preparedness and special populations has been added to the National Library of Medicine (NLM) Enviro-Health Links.
"Special Populations: Emergency and Disaster Preparedness" http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/outreach/specialpopulationsanddisasters.html provides links to selected Web sites featuring emergency preparedness for special populations. This includes people with disabilities, people with visual or hearing impairments, senior citizens, children, and women. Links to information in languages other than English are also provided.NLM also offers other Enviro-Health Links on topics such as:
Arsenic http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/enviro/arsenicandhumanhealth.htmlBiological Warfare http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/enviro/biologicalwarfare.html
Chemical Warfare http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/enviro/chemicalwarfare.html
Children's Environmental Health http://phpartners.org/cehir/sampler.html
Indoor Air Pollution http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/enviro/indoorairpollution.html
Lead http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/enviro/lead.html
Outdoor Air Pollution http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/enviro/outdoorairpollution.html
Pesticide Exposure http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/enviro/pesticides.html
NLM Enviro-Health Links http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/enviro/envirohealthlinks.html
Book Reviews
Eaker, J. Ron. A Woman’s Guide to Hormone Health: The Creator’s Way for Managing Menopause. Bethany House, 2008. 224 p. ISBN: 978-0-7642-0414-2. $14.99. Review based on an advanced reading copy
Dr. J. Ron Eaker is a board-certified OB/GYN with 20 years experience. He is also author of Fat Proof Your Family: Gods Way to Forming Health Habits for Life, and Holy Hormones.The author’s writing envelops his Christian faith with Bible verses and references interspersed throughout. Sections of chapters are on prayer, God’s plan, the Bible as a user’s manual, nutritional guidance based on Biblical writings, etc. Depending on your faith this may or may not enhance your reading.
Eaker has written an informative book on women's hormone health. Emphasized throughout is that health entails more than just the physical body but also includes the spiritual, attitudinal, mental, and emotional aspects. Menopause is a natural transition and not a disease. As such, a wide range of lifestyle choices such as diet and exercise, as well as the use of hormones, herbs, supplements, and drugs are all options for dealing with symptoms which some women may experience. All aspects you'd expect in this type of book are covered: perimenopause, menopause, treatment options including both hormonal and complementary options, diet and nutrition, mood changes, hot flashes, insomnia, loss of sex drive, and osteoporosis. Chapters end with action challenges or treatment summaries. Humorous comments are sprinkled throughout such as with the title of chapter 4 – Menopause: Puberty with Experience or other things for which PMS might represent such as Perpetual Munching Spree or Puffy Mid-Section.
The book is recommended for libraries with a strong Christian base who would appreciate the author's faith emphasis.
Reviewed by: Allison M. Howard, Shimberg Health Sciences Library, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL.
Fein, Deborah, Ph.D and Michelle A. Dunn, Ph.D.Autism in your Classroom: A General Educator’s Guide to Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Woodbine House, 2007. 319 pp. ISBN 978-189062761-4. $19.95.
This book focuses on the techniques that can be used by classroom teachers in order to assist students with autism/spectrum disorders to be successfully integrated into the classroom to optimize their learning opportunities. The authors, both neuropsychologists who have worked extensively in the area of autism, have gathered their experience and best practices to provide basic information on autism and methods for teaching that will optimize the learning experience for each child.
Offering clear, concise information on autism spectrum disorders causes, treatments, and impact on family members, the information is presented in a conversational tone with emphasis on the positive outcomes that can occur with purposeful techniques to aid the autistic child. Written at a professional level, there is an index which redirects the reader to the appropriate definition.
Techniques discussed include the use of visual supports, adapting classroom homework, strategies to improve language, reading and math skills, and handling challenging behavior. Integrating the special needs child is also balanced with the needs of the rest of the members of the class. Special emphasis is placed on attention, memory, organization and motor skills and adaptive techniques to help the autistic child to optimize the learning experience. An inclusive book of resources including websites, books, organizations, and support groups is included. This book offers strategies for teachers as well as family members who have an autistic child to offer specific interventions that would benefit the child both socially and academically.
Reviewed by: Carol Ann Attwood, MLS, AHIP, MPH, RN,C, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona.
Hedblom, Jack H. Last Call: Alcoholism and Recovery. Johns Hopkins, 2007. 204 p. Index. ISBN 10: 0-8018-8677-5. $18.95.
Hedblom takes a comprehensive look at the problem of alcoholism and the organization credited with ushering so many into recovery, Alcoholics Anonymous. In addition to providing a history of AA, Last Call addresses the complicated nature of defining alcoholism, and thoroughly details the processes of working toward recovery and maintaining sobriety. Each chapter contains composite testimony from AA participants that conveys the experiences and challenges of moving through the twelve steps of the program; though often lengthy, these accounts inject the book with vitality. Hedblom’s own commentary establishes him as a keen observer, in particular when he delves into the topic of alcoholism and spirituality, describing the alcoholic as someone who has lost his "fit" with the world of meaning” and noting that American culture “with its focus on technology and progress, does not offer the integration of the spiritual life with the daily physical activities of life.”
Addressing his aim to focus upon recovery, Hedblom acknowledges that he includes only accounts of AA participants who have had success. "Contrary to common interpretation" he attributes failures of individuals to recover to be the fault of the individual rather than of the program.
A psychotherapist in private practice who gained his interest in alcoholism from work with veterans, Hedblom is an insightful guide into the world of Alcoholics Anonymous. He co-authored Methods for the Social Sciences: A Handbook for Students and Non-Specialists. Last Call is a good selection for libraries looking to build a mental health section for skilled readers.
Reviewed by: Jane Ichord, Hirsh Health Sciences Library, Tufts University, Boston, MA.
Nuland, Sherwin B. The Art of Aging: A Doctor's Prescription for Well-Being. Random House, 2007. 290 p. Index. ISBN 978-1-4000-6477-9. $24.95 (US).
If we are lucky, we will live well and attain longevity. Sherwin Nuland's latest best seller aims to alter our perception of aging and provide honest and insightful lessons-learned from those who have negotiated the aging process successfully. Nuland, clinical professor of surgery at Yale University, is the author of several popular medical texts, notably, How We Die: Reflections on Life’s Final Chapter for which he won the National Book Award. Here, Nuland examines what it means to age in contemporary society, and via a series of interviews with a diverse sample of older men and women from a variety of walks of life, the author learns about and contemplates what it means to age successfully. Much of what Nuland reveals about aging here is probably already known to many readers; that is, aging well is a combination of luck, genetics, healthy living and leading a purposeful life. What is unique and interesting about this book is how Nuland's contrasting vignettes show that despite their different socioeconomic backgrounds, faiths, professions, misfortunes (personal and economic) suffered, and individual medical histories, the most important link these folks share is strength of character, service to others and the ability to adapt to change and accommodate the restrictions that life and living longer imposes. Nuland’s elegant prose will challenge an audience lacking at least a twelfth grade reading level. Still, this book is bound to be enormously popular and is recommended for public library collections. Consumer health collections needing a more accessible title on this topic are advised to purchase, Healthy Aging for Dummies.
Reviewed by: Gail Y. Hendler, Tufts University Hirsh Health Sciences Library, Boston, MA.
Safir, Michael H., Boyd, Clay N., Pinson, Tony E. Overcoming Urinary Incontinence: A Woman's Guide to Treatment.. Addicus Books, 2008. 154p. Index. ISBN 978-1-886039-87-2. $19.95.
Three board certified practicing urologists from California, Louisiana and Michigan collaborate on their first book. This concise overview covers causes, diagnosis, treatments, exercises and lifestyle modifications for five types of urinary incontinence, with a focus on women's care. Its tone is encouraging and upbeat, while setting realistic expectations for outcomes of various treatments. Explanations like "stress incontinence has nothing to do with stress," and "aging does not necessarily cause incontinence," allay fears and help the newly diagnosed make more sense of their condition. A particularly helpful section lists questions a doctor may ask a patient during an exam to accurately diagnose and treat various forms of urinary incontinence. Much of the book is written in FAQ format, such as "Is it beneficial to change the kinds of beverages I drink?" A standout feature is the chapter on surgery, which includes sections on what to expect when recovering from specific operations. The book includes an Intake and Voiding Diary to bring to the doctor's office, lists of foods that can and cannot irritate the bladder, a resource directory and a glossary. There are a few technical illustrations, and it would be helpful to have more, particularly in the chapters on exercise and medical devices. A larger concern is a lack of bibliography or notes in the review version, and while some research statements list a source, the book contains unsupported research starting, "Studies show" and "Studies report". Hopefully, future versions can incorporate these recommendations to solidify a promising book.
Reviewed by: Cara Helfner, MSLIS, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
Soper, Kathyrn Lynard. Gifts: Mothers Reflect on How Children With Down Syndrome Enrich Their Lives.. Woodbine House, 2007. 278p. ISBN: 978-1890627-85-0. $18.95.
After giving birth to a baby boy, Thomas, who was diagnosed with Down Syndrome, editor, Soper, began reading everything she could find about Down Syndrome. Soper’s favorite information came from reading personal experiences of other mothers with a child with Down Syndrome.
Soper invited other mothers to share their personal stories of Down Syndrome focusing on: respect, strength, delight, perspective, and love. Gifts is a collection of sixty-three essays about children with Down Syndrome written by women from diverse economic, racial, and cultural backgrounds. Janis, who always thought of herself as a perfectionist shares her story of how she thought Cariana’s diagnosis of Down Syndrome shattered her dreams of a perfect life. Watching how Cariana lived her short life (Cariana passed away from leukemia) Janis accepted that Cariana was perfect just the way she was. Janis also learned a valuable lesson: to accept herself just as she is and to see strengths in others, not just limitations.
These mothers share their struggles with learning of the child’s diagnosis. Some knew of the diagnosis before the child’s birth and others found out after. Some considered abortion while others knew they would have the child. All the mothers share the love that their baby has given them – a perfect gift.
Gifts is well written and easy to read. Parents will find comfort in the words of other mothers who write about their experiences with a child with Down syndrome. Gifts is recommended for public libraries and consumer health libraries collecting patient memoirs.
Reviewed by: Dana Ladd, Community Health Education Center, Richmond, VA.
Publication Information
Statement
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.
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.
Submit by this newsletter |
For publication newsletter issue |
|---|---|
| March | April-June |
| June | July-September |
| September | October-December |
| December | January-March |
Please send submissions in electronic format to the editor:
Joey Nicholson
e -mail: jnicholson@nyam.org
Telephone: (212) 822-7355
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