Developing Health Information Literacy in Disadvantaged and Dependent Circumstances: The Everyday Role of Family Nurses

Citation

Buchanan S & Nicol E (2019) Developing Health Information Literacy in Disadvantaged and Dependent Circumstances: The Everyday Role of Family Nurses. In: Kurbanoğlu S, Špiranec S, Ünal Y, Boustany J, Huotari M, Grassian E, Mizrachi D & Roy L (eds.) Information Literacy in Everyday Life. Communications in Computer and Information Science, 989. ECIL 2018: 6th European Conference on Information Literacy, Oulu, Finland, 24.09.2018-27.09.2018. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, pp. 124-135. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13472-3_12

Abstract
This paper examines the challenges of developing health information literacy (HIL) amongst disadvantaged and dependent populations from the perspective of non-information professionals occupying everyday support roles. Our participants were a team of UK Family Nurses providing outreach support to vulnerable young mothers from areas of multiple deprivations. Our data collection methods were observation, interviews, and focus groups. Our participants all believe that they have an important role in developing HIL in clients but are unfamiliar with fundamental overarching information literacy (IL) concepts and models. Consequently, their confidence in their own ability to develop HIL skills in clients is limited. We discuss that to extend primary healthcare practices beyond HIL support to HIL education requires not only IL training, but also an appropriate pedagogical approach adaptable to semi-structured problematic situations. We raise important questions regarding approaches to developing HIL in disadvantaged populations

Keywords
Health information literacy; Information literacy; Information behaviour; Information intermediary

Journal
Communications in Computer and Information Science; Information Literacy in Everyday Life

People

Professor Steven Buchanan

Professor in Comms., Media and Culture, Communications, Media and Culture