This editorial explains the history of the Health Information and Libraries Journal from 1984 to 2025. Since its first issue, the Health Information and Libraries Journal has published over 1400 manuscripts, from reviews and original articles to editorials, brief communications, regular features, and obituaries of key members of the health library sector with links to the journal. The contributions of its four Editor-in-Chiefs are celebrated: Shane Godbolt (1984-1994), Judy Palmer (1999-2002), Graham Walton (2003-2008), and Maria J. Grant (2009-2025).
Artificial intelligence (AI) provides new challenges for knowledge and library professionals (KLPs) working in healthcare. In NHS England, KLPs created the AI Literacy Group, part of the NHS England Workforce, Transformation and Education (NHSE W,T&E) Current & Emerging Technology Community of Practice (CET CoP). The aim of the group was to develop their understanding of the changing landscape and understand how AI could be used in healthcare organisations and knowledge and library services (KLS). The group developed a series of presentations that KLPs could use to develop their own understanding of AI and which could be adapted for use in their local organisations. Case studies from KLPs working in two NHS organisations discuss the use of the presentations to train clinical and non-clinical staff, and consider their impact and next steps. Through collaboration, the group was able to learn together, develop a shared understanding of AI and create training resources to benefit the KLP community. The group has evolved to consider new areas of learning relating to the adoption of AI and to review the content of the presentations to ensure that they are up to date and relevant in this ever-changing landscape.
BACKGROUND:Health care is of great importance to individuals and those funding health care. The academic community is interested in how health care can be delivered and the role of health information. OBJECTIVES-:This study uses bibliometrics to identify novel research subjects, highly cited literature, worldwide cooperation relationships, author distribution and cooperative network, journal distribution, and research hotspots in the field of health information. METHODS:Data were collected from the Web of Science database, and the 3525 items of literature retrieved were analysed with word frequency, social network, and cluster analysis methods. RESULTS:The findings indicate that the Internet, Health Information, Health Information Technology, Health Literacy, and Health Information Exchange are the top five health information research topics. There is a close relationship between the research themes of COVID-19, Mental Health, Public Health, and Health Information Seeking. The main co-operative network is centred around the United States and the United Kingdom. College students (health information), young people (health information), and privacy issues (concerning health information) are the recent areas of research. CONCLUSIONS:This study can provide some insights for practitioners in libraries and health information institutions, for topic selection in health journals, and for international cooperation among educators.
BACKGROUND:Health disparities remain as a systemic challenge. With the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement and scant evidence of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives for workers in health science libraries, this scoping review maps evidence that can be incorporated into a culture of change. OBJECTIVES:To identify the extent, type, and location of DEI initiatives being conducted in health science libraries for library workers. METHODS:Eight databases were systematically searched for literature from 2014 onwards, including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Four reviewers were involved in screening and data extraction. RESULTS:Reviewers excluded 6712 title/abstracts. A total of 177 articles progressed to full-text screening, where 153 were excluded. The final number of articles that underwent data extraction was 24. DISCUSSION:Initiatives primarily occurred in academic libraries, led by library workers. Identities mostly focused on were gender, race, and sexuality, while some initiatives focused on general DEI concepts. Most literature pertained to library patrons, demonstrating a gap in reported initiatives for health science library workers. Assessment of initiatives was lacking, with no validated assessment tools used. All of the articles focused on either the United States or Canada. CONCLUSION:Diversity continues to be a challenge within the profession; this should be mitigated through recruitment and retention strategies along with mentorship for new and diverse librarians.
Managing and applying evidence from research and learning from experience to better effect are part of the solution to the challenges faced by healthcare systems. Health library and information professionals often struggle to convey what is meant by 'knowledge mobilisation'. This editorial examines definitions of 'knowledge' and 'knowledge mobilisation' in the context of information overload. Drawing on prior experience and existing Knowledge Management models and related frameworks, it offers a synthesis of these to identify key dimensions of knowledge mobilisation in the practice of information professionals, and examines the information functions required to mobilise knowledge. Aiming to support more effective communication, 'knowledge mobilisation' is expressed using three approaches: a mnemonic, a diagram and a table. The ambition is to stimulate dialogue and build consensus, potentially by conducting a modified e-Delphi study, in order to assist health librarians and knowledge managers to better position themselves to engage in knowledge mobilisation.
Technological advancements and emergence of 5G technology have significantly improved health library services. Although Wi-Fi offers many benefits in establishing smart libraries, the enhanced connectivity among a large number of devices reduces latency between input and output, and robust security demonstrates the enhanced potential for 5G technology in health libraries. In this paper, we highlight five dimensions to support health libraries in the development and evaluation of 5G technologies in facilitating remote health library and information services. The five dimensions are: technological infrastructure, technology integration into health libraries, remote health information services, user readiness, and external support.
Health promotion libraries provide borrowable resources to support a wide range of health topics; resources are designed to be accessible and improve the impact of key health messages. Reminiscence resources aim to facilitate engagement and socialisation for people who find accessing long-term memory challenging. This article provides an overview of the reminiscence service provided by the Library Service at Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust. It will consider the rationale for providing this service, how resources are selected in collaboration with customers and how they are promoted through various approaches to library training. The library offers training to healthcare professionals and other customers caring for people with dementia; training demonstrates different ways in which reminiscence resources can be used. An impact case study completed by a customer following the use of a bespoke reminiscence memory box indicates that caregivers find the resources helpful in supporting people with dementia. This is particularly beneficial when carers have received training from librarians in using the resources. Tailored resources can be especially effective, as compared to generic or off-the-shelf items. Customer collaboration with librarians to inform and support collection development should be encouraged to ensure that resources reflect the needs of users.
BACKGROUND:Short videos are a way that parents get health information. It is unclear how people seek health information in short videos on musculoskeletal conditions in children. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the health information needs of parents of children with musculoskeletal disorders and to examine the factors that influence their perceptions of that information. METHODS:Semi-structured interviews with 14 parents were conducted, and the resulting interview data were analysed using qualitative content analysis based on the Comprehensive Model of Information Seeking (CMIS). RESULTS:In this study, we deepened and expanded the CMIS, and four dimensions influenced the perceived quality of health videos. In the 'antecedents' dimension, we subdivided it into four sub-themes: 'health status', 'direct experience', 'salience' and 'social support'. For the 'information carrier characteristics' dimension, we explored 'platform reputation', 'short video characteristics', 'information content characteristics' and 'creator characteristics' in detail. In the 'environmental influences' dimension, we focused on the sub-themes of 'short video traffic', 'others' evaluation' and 'multi-channel verification'. DISCUSSION:Parents tend to prefer searching for information on short videos. The quality of health information on short videos is primarily evaluated based on external features, which can increase their susceptibility to misinformation. CONCLUSIONS:More short videos on musculoskeletal disorders in children are needed to meet parents' expectations. More effective and informative short videos could be designed based on the identified factors.
The inclusion of marginalized populations in health information research is crucial for ensuring equitable health outcomes and addressing systemic disparities. However, underrepresentation of these groups remains a significant issue, particularly in health misinformation correction research. We aimed to evaluate the inclusion and diversity of health misinformation correction studies in terms of their sample characteristics, correction message features, and study characteristics. We conducted a scoping review and identified 192 empirical studies from 158 publications that met our inclusion criteria. The results indicate that the available literature on health misinformation correction has not adequately incorporated the inclusion and diversity of marginalized populations. This gap persists across various essential research elements, such as sample characteristics and correction message features. There is a critical need to prioritize inclusion and diversity in health misinformation correction research. Addressing this gap will contribute to a more equitable and inclusive scientific process, ensuring the perspectives of diverse populations are considered and included.
Adopting a collaborative partnership approach to designing and delivering E-Learning programmes is an effective way to enhance the delivery of information skills training for end users. The experiences of the national NHS England Knowledge and Library Services Team working collaboratively in partnership to develop three E-Learning programmes are described. These cover skills development for the health care workforce in the areas of literature searching, critical appraisal and knowledge mobilisation. Working with subject matter experts, partners based in knowledge and library service teams, learning technologists and specialist media training design teams has led to improvements in E-Learning planning, design and delivery. As an enhancement to more traditional face-to-face information training sessions, the E-Learning modules have been launched a total of 24,029 times between April 2023 and July 2024.
BACKGROUND:Good maternal health is essential (UN Sustainable Development Goal 3). Pregnant women need to effectively evaluate and utilize health information for proper health decision making. PURPOSE:To examine the ability of pregnant women to evaluate and utilize maternal health information in the Coastal region of Tanzania (a region with high levels of maternal morbidity). METHODOLOGY:Mixed research approach and descriptive cross-sectional design were used to collect data from 132 pregnant women and 8 nurses/midwives using questionnaires and focus group discussions as data collection methods. IBM SPSS version 21 was used to analyse quantitative data, while thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. FINDINGS:Many of the pregnant women surveyed (64/128) had low or very low perceived abilities to evaluate maternal health information, but most women, according to health care staff, made appropriate decisions to seek help to avoid major risks. The higher the level of education of a pregnant woman, the higher, generally, her perceived evaluation skills. CONCLUSION:Low ability to evaluate maternal health information affects the effective utilization of maternal health services. Collaboration between libraries and health facilities is recommended for the repackaging of information in a user-friendly format.
OBJECTIVES:Although the concept of overdiagnosis was first referenced in MEDLINE 100 years ago, consensus on a clear definition has been lacking. In 2021, the MeSH term "Overdiagnosis" was officially introduced, which defined the concept. A key goal of the new term is to improve the reliability of literature searches and enhance the conceptual understanding of overdiagnosis. METHODS:We conducted a systematic bibliometric review of all citations indexed under the MeSH term for "Overdiagnosis" in MEDLINE. We compared the citations with citations identified through a text-word search for overdiagnosis not indexed under the MeSH term. Searches were performed on 15 September 2024. RESULTS:We found that a higher percentage of citations indexed under the new MeSH term used it according to the definition compared with the text-word search (73.2% vs. 49.5%). The remainder used the term to describe misdiagnosis, false positives, and overtreatment. The citations indexed under the MeSH term were primarily descriptive in nature (68.7%), focusing on oncology (54.2%) and screening practices (31.2%). DISCUSSION:Despite advancements, the field of overdiagnosis is still in its early stages, with potential for expansion into studies addressing prevention and mitigation strategies. The introduction of the MeSH term has facilitated some degree of conceptual alignment. CONCLUSION:Our review provides insights into the current state of the overdiagnosis literature, emphasising prevalent themes and areas for further research, and improvements in MeSH indexing accuracy. Residual conceptual ambiguity surrounding overdiagnosis terminology and indexing practices may explain discrepancies in MeSH categorisation and definition adherence.
NHS knowledge and library specialists support researchers and undertake research. The aim of this pilot programme, delivered as part of the Knowledge for Healthcare Learning Academy offer, was to equip learners from the health and social care library and knowledge sector in England with: the knowledge, skills and confidence to undertake research which adds to the evidence base for the profession; and/or equips them to contribute as a member of a healthcare research team.
BACKGROUND:Clinical question services offer evidence-based relevant clinical information allowing health professionals to obtain answers in a timely manner. OBJECTIVES:To explore the use and usefulness of Preevid, an evidence-based answering service for clinical questions, among health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS:This study analyses the COVID-19-related clinical questions received in the Preevid service between 1 March 2020 and 28 February 2022. Particularly, it examines the topic, the type of professional who raised those questions, the epidemic period in which they were made, and the impact of the questions openly published on the Preevid online bank. RESULTS:Preevid service received 1111 clinical questions, of which 252 (22.7%) were about COVID-19 and half of these (132) were published on the online bank. The majority of COVID-19-related questions were about prevention (57.5%) and were mainly raised by physicians (57.9%) and nurses (34.1%). The Preevid question bank received 25,865,015 online views and it was mainly visited during the first months of the pandemic. COVID-19-related questions had 5,182,723 online views, of which 55% were originated in Spain. CONCLUSIONS:Preevid, the service that gives evidence-based answers to clinical questions, helps health professionals with clinical decision making and clinical practice, also in crisis situations such as a pandemic.
This article is part of a research project aimed at leveraging environmental health literacy (EHL) to enhance public health in developing countries. EHL is an emerging concept that integrates elements from information literacy, health literacy, and environmental literacy. It equips individuals with a wide range of skills and competencies to evaluate and understand the relationship between their environment and their health, enabling them to make informed decisions. Based on a proposed four-dimensional conceptual framework-comprising accessing, understanding, appraising, and applying information-a tool called EHL-Q25 was developed for assessing EHL. This article focuses on how the proposed framework and the validated EHL-Q25 tool can be utilized to inform the provision of services and practices in health sciences libraries.
The 'International Book Collection' was established to foster cultural diversity among the staff community at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust. The initiative focused on building a collection of world literature that reflects the traditional values, beliefs and cultural perspectives of the individuals working in the organisation. The key challenge encountered during the development of the collection was ensuring the true representation of the staff community within the organisation. In order to start putting the collection together, promotional strategies were designed incorporating the user's needs. In August 2024, the collection was launched as an initiative through which users can recommend books that represent their cultural heritage. It has remained active since August 2024 and, as of June 2025, a total of 32 recommendations have been received.
BACKGROUND:Living with cardiac implantable electronic devices requires patients to apply information skills. OBJECTIVE:To explore barriers to the health literacy of patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices. METHODS:This descriptive, qualitative study was conducted with 18 patients. Data were gathered via semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. Content analysis was applied to the data. The results were reported using the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ). RESULTS:Two themes emerged: 'Floundering patients'; 'Lackadaisical patients'. First theme involved four subthemes: 'An enormous unmet need for information'; 'The information source: The doctor'; 'Communication issues'; 'Preferences'. Second theme included two subthemes: 'Dependence on doctor' and 'Dependence on others'. DISCUSSION:Theme one revealed that patients found it difficult to evaluate the health information and assumed the doctor was the prime source of information, rather than other health professionals who might help provide the necessary education and counselling. Theme two was 'lackadaisical patients', who failed to access information, communicate with the healthcare provider, evaluate information, or take a role in the decision-making process due to their complete trust in doctors and informal caregivers. CONCLUSION:These results suggested that nurses should play a role in the improvement of patients' health literacy, with the help of health information professionals.
BACKGROUND:The development of a Centre for Care Excellence at a large Midlands National Health Service teaching hospital enabled the opportunity to introduce Critically Appraised Topic (CAT) groups through collaborative working with library specialists and health professionals. OBJECTIVES:To provide interactive training for health professionals to improve their critical appraisal skills and to translate research findings into practice. METHODS:Clinical Evidence Based Information Services library experts and a clinical academic facilitator ran interactive CAT groups via webinars. Clinical staff were recruited via poster advertising with quick-response (QR) code registration. Groups were facilitated for 8 months. RESULTS:Between January 2019 and August 2023, six CAT groups were established. Four groups completed critical appraisal, progressing to translate the research findings to inform clinical practice. Progression paused in two groups, with outcomes reporting to follow. DISCUSSION:CATs can galvanise health professionals' database searching, evidence retrieval, and critical appraisal; particularly those less familiar with these processes. Group members must commit to deliverables, especially with challenging workforce shortfalls where CAT groups could be designated as optional activities. CONCLUSIONS:Outcomes depend on the adequacy of critical appraisal skills and the involvement of skilled facilitators. Long-term, a strategy to cultivate new facilitators through training may ensure scale-up for new groups.
