Fostering health

information literacy through use of a virtual

world

Sheila Webber, Information School, University of Sheffield, UKElisabeth Jacobsen Marrapodi, Trinitas Regional Medical Center, USARossana I. Barrios, Biblioteca Conrado F. Asenjo, University of Puerto RicoLILAC conference, London, April 2011

Outline

• Second Life & Health Literacy• Marrapodi: a health literacy exhibit and quiz in SL• Barrios: Spanish Language health information

literacy in SL• Webber: Health Information Literacy Corner on

Infolit iSchool• Conclusions

Second Life (SL), a Virtual World (VW)• VW = persistent, multiuser, avatars, networked • 3-D VW world, owned by (& trademark of) Linden Lab• Avatars- 3D representation of yourself – free to signup• Most things created by SL residents: SL fashion

designers, architects, bakers, animal makers …. real economy in SL

• Need to download SL browser & have good broadband connection & computer graphics card

• Communication through text chat, Voice and Instant Messaging

• C. 70,000 people online simultaneously, international, wide age range

Medical/ health use• Kirriemuir (2010) notes is a key subject

area for education in virtual worlds• Low risk, can be lower cost, and evidence

of engagement• Simulations, communications, diagnosis,

anatomy, health education (e.g. McCallum et al, 2010; Wiecha, 2010)

“3-D virtual worlds provide users with a more immersive and socially interactive experience, as well as a feeling of embodiment that has the potential to facilitate the clinical communication process.” Gorini (2008)

“I was not so confronting, but it puts you in that situation. You still wanted to solve that problem and fix that patient so you really got drawn into the whole situation.”student quoted in Rogers (2009: 885)

What is Health Literacy?• Health Literacy is about

being able to:– Read– Understand– Act

– Why outreach in VR?

Health Literacy in the Virtual

World of Second Life

Elisabeth Jacobsen Marrapodi, Library Director

Trinitas Regional Medical CenterElizabeth, New Jersey USA

2010 Research Award MLA/Hospital Libraries Section

This research project has been partially funded with Federal funds from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. NO1-LM-6-3501 with New York University

Study: Can Online Interactive Games Improve Health Literacy?

The Research Team: Team Leader: Medical Librarian Advisors: Cardiology, Neurology & Education NursesIntern: 2nd Year MLS Student

Teaching Objective: Offer fun, educational, interactive Consumer Health Literacy quizzes using web 2.0 and a virtual platform (Second Life) to increase public awareness about signs and symptoms on selected health topics

Study Timeline: January 2010 – January 2011

Targeted Topics:Heart AttackStrokeMedical Terminology

Target Populations: local community to global outreach

Numbers: Website quizzes = 491Website survey responses = 59 Second Life quizzes = 654Second Life survey responses = 197

Advantages of online interactive games

For the Consumer:• Private, anonymous• Learn at your own pace• Accessible 24/7• Fun

For the Educator:• Inexpensive • Where your customers

are• Maximum outreach

The Virtual World of Second Life

HealthInfo Island

Traveling Mini-Exhibits in Second Life

Obstacles

Spanish-language tutorials and information on selected health issues, links to health sites, and

meeting space for instructional events.

Health Literacy Prototype for Hispanic Populations in Second Life ™  Rossana I. Barrios (PI Illios) Conrado F. Asenjo Library, UPR-RCM

…y los

Hispanic Population in Second Life

Hispanic Population in SL• Educational Purposes • Entertainment / Leisure• Business• Economic problems / unemployment• Creativity• Curiosity• Health problems• Caregivers• Isolated• Others

Addressing Information Needs

• This community has information needs and might seek for it in-world.

• …but it is usually in other languages.

Spanish Language Speakers

• Every racial or ethnic group has specific health problems. The differences in health may result from:– Genetic factors– Environmental factors– Access to medical care– Cultural factors

Medline Plus Español

Conrado F. Asenjo LibraryUniversity of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus

The main health sciences information resource center on the Island and is considered to have the most complete collection of its kind in the Caribbean. Collection and services support all health related academic programs.

Conrado F. Asenjo LibraryUniversity of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus

Public university library: As a resource library under the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, the institution is committed to providing and promoting use and access to information resources and databases among health professionals in the community, both individually and through affiliated institutions.Information Services for the Public: The Library provides extensive information resources to serve the general public.

Health Literacy Prototype for Hispanic Populations in Second Life ™

Conrado F. Asenjo Library, UPR-RCM

• We chose from CDA & OMDH reports as main Latinos’ health problems

• Topics addressed:– Guidance in evaluating

health resources– Influenza A (H1N1)– Heart disease– Diabetes

Latinos & Health

Emphasis on informed decisions

• Emphasis is in guidance and search, but not to replace health professional intervention.

• Assessment of reliable health information.

• Prevention and education.• The medical library as a trusted

center of guidance and assistance to the community.

Design

Design

• User-friendly materials• Learning Paths• Bilingual Material• Previously evaluated and appropriate links for

Hispanic populations.• Plain Language• Aimed at informed decision making

Graphic Material

Outreach Strategies

Outreach Strategies

https://sites.google.com/a/upr.edu/tusaludbuscadistingueaprende

Google Site

Outreach Strategies

• Facebook• Twitter• SlideShare presentations

• You Tube• Flickr• Koinup

Health Information Literacy corner on Infolit iSchool

Sheila Webber /Sheila Yoshikawa

Model of SCONUL 7 Pillars of information literacy, with examples of a search “Should we panic about bird flu” (Sheila Webber & students)

HIV/AIDS information seeking related to SCONUL 7 Pillars (by Robin Ashford (SL Mochi), librarian at George Fox University, USA, & former community librarian in SL

In addition to the heart/stroke quiz …

Teleport to health related

places in SL e.g. Swine flu

Virtual hallucinations

HIV/AIDS quilt

Tour of the Testis

Health Commons

HealthInfo Island

• Venue for discussion, social events, CPD

Conclusions• Global outreach in real time crossing over all

demographics, truly multinational• Content designed and created by SL Residents;

create targeted material + use other people’s• Platform for education, entertainment, living

• educational interventions• inworld “passers by”; awareness raising• CPD

• Multiple channel strategy (net + virtual world)

Sheila Webber

Senior Lecturer, Information SchoolUniversity of Sheffield. s.webber@sheffield.ac.uk (SL

SheilaYoshikawa)http://information-literacy.blogspot.com/http://www.slideshare.net/sheilawebberSL: Sheila Yoshikawa

Elisabeth Jacobsen Marrapodi Library DirectorTrinitas Regional Medical CenterElizabeth, New Jersey USAEMarrapodi@Trinitas.org (Second Life: Brielle Coronet)http://www.slideshare.net/emarrapodiSL: Brielle Coronet

Rossana I. Barrios

Biblioteca Conrado F. Asenjo, University of Puerto Ricorossana.barrios@upr.edu SL: Pi Illios

References• Gorini, A. et al. (2008). “A second life for eHealth: prospects for the use of 3-D

virtual worlds in clinical psychology”. Journal of Medical Internet Research,10(3):e21 http://www.jmir.org/2008/3/e21/

• Kirriemuir, J. (2010) Virtual worlds in education: why? http://www.slideshare.net/VirtualWorldWatch/sheffield-april-2010

• McCallum, J., Ness, V. and Price, T. (2010) “Exploring nursing students' decision-making skills whilst in a Second Life clinical simulation laboratory.” Nurse education today. [corrected proof, in press, available online]

• Rogers, L. (2009). “Simulating clinical experience: Exploring Second Life as a learning tool for nurse education”. In: Same places, different spaces: proceedings Ascilite Auckland 2009. Figtree: ASCILITE. http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/auckland09/procs/rogers.pdf

• Wiecha, J. et al. (2010) “Learning in a Virtual World: Experience With Using Second Life for Medical Education. “ Journal of medical internet research, 12 (1). http://www.jmir.org/2010/1/e1/