Enhancing access to health information in Africa: A librarian\u27s perspective

In recent years, tremendous progress has been made toward providing health information in Africa, in part because of technological advancements. Nevertheless, ensuring that information is accessible, comprehensible, and usable remains problematic, and there remain needs in many settings to address issues such as computer skills, literacy, and the infrastructure to access information. To determine how librarians might play a more strategic role in meeting information needs of health professionals in Africa, the author reviewed key components of information systems pertinent to knowledge management for the health sector, including access to global online resources, capacity to use computer technology for information retrieval, information literacy, and the potential for professional networks to play a role in improving access to and use of information. The author concluded that, in regions that lack adequate information systems, librarians could apply their knowledge and skills to facilitate access and use by information seekers. Ensuring access to and use of health information can also be achieved by engaging organizations and associations working to enhance access to health information, such as the Association for Health Information and Libraries in Africa. These groups can provide assistance through training, dissemination, information repackaging, and other approaches known to improve information literacy

Evidence based medicine: the role of the health information professional

Introduction: Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) is “the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of patients” (Sackett et al, 1996). This concept of EBM extends the health information professional beyond “identification of literature to involvement in practicing and teaching quality filtering and critical appraisal of the literature” (Scherrer, 1999:324). This definitely challenges the traditional role of the health information professional thus advocating for the need to acquire necessary skills, so as to be in a position to support EBM. Objectives: To outline the steps in the EBM process; to explore the role of the health information professional in the EBM process; and to explore the challenges and opportunities that health information professionals encounter. Methodology: The survey obtained views and experiences from health information professionals through an online discussion board during an online distance education course on “Evidence Based Medicine and the Medical Librarian.” A total of 20 participants from different countries participated in this course between January - March 2008. Participants responded to open ended questions and data was qualitatively analysed under the various open ended questions posed in relation to the role, challenges and opportunities of the health information professional in EBM. Conclusion: The role of the health information professional is acknowledged as critical in supporting EBM. This paper strongly recommends the need for health information professionals to integrate EBM in their training sessions. This paper encourages and recommends the need for health information professionals to continuously acquire training in order to efficiently support EBM. This would result to the provision of better health information thus translating to better healthcare

Internet Information Retrieval Experiences and Challenges of Aga Khan University Library Users

This study reports on internet information retrieval experiences and challenges of Aga Khan University library users. The unit of analysis was obtained through a purposive sampling method and data collected using a structured questionnaire. The data was quantitatively analyzed and descriptive statistics provided. 87% (52/60) of the members in the sample completed and returned the questionnaire. 83% indicated that they had prior computer skills and 52% had training in Internet searching. 35% of the respondents who did not use any of the search techniques indicated, was noted. Gender did not appear to affect use the retrieval of information vis-a-vis use of Internet. There was a difference in the user categories with regards to the use of the Internet for information retrieval. The workstation was indicated as the most convenient location to access the internet. However, different categories gave a different indication. In conclusion, there appears to be lack of optimal utilization of the internet resources available. Lack of knowledge on the use of the search techniques and facilities is noted. The study recommends continuous training of Aga Khan University library users on internet searching and basic computers skills, to enhance utilization of relevant internet information resources

Evidence Based Medicine: The Role of the Health Sciences Librarian

Introduction: Evidence Based Medicine definitely challenges the traditional role of the Librarian thus advocating for the need to acquire necessary skills, so as to be in a position to support Evidence Based Medicine. Objectives: To outline the steps in the Evidence Based Medicine process; to explore the role of the health sciences librarian in the Evidence Based Medicine process; and to explore the challenges and opportunities that health sciences Librarians encounter. Methodology: The study was descriptive and qualitative summary of the data was provided. The study obtained data from the views and experiences of 20 medical librarians from various countries during an online distance education course. Conclusion and implication: Despite the various challenges encountered, the role of the health sciences librarian is acknowledged as critical in supporting Evidence Based Medicine

Meeting the needs of health care professionals: the Aga Khan University Hospital experience

Established in 1958, Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi (AKUH,N) is a private, not‐for‐profit institution that provides tertiary and secondary level health care services. The decision to upgrade the Hospital to a tertiary level teaching hospital was taken in order to respond to the health care needs of the people of East Africa. AKUH,N is a premier provider of ambulatory care and quality in patient services, including critical care

Evaluating library service quality at the Aga Khan University library: Application of a total quality management approach

The purpose of this paper is to report on an investigation of the service quality of the Aga Khan University library in Kenya. The total quality management philosophy which forms the basis of this report has been demonstrated by the use of SERVQUAL, a userbased assessment tool, in the evaluation of service quality. The research was conducted among 123 Aga Khan University library users – nursing and medical faculty and nursing and medical students – with an aim to investigate the quality of its services based on the satisfaction of library users with the services and as expressed by and based on users’ expectations and perceptions. The data was gathered through the SERVQUAL structured questionnaire and a 63% response rate was realized. The findings generally established that the expectations of Aga Khan University library users are higher than their perceptions. The results also show that there are service quality gaps in a number of services offered by the library. This research is deemed important as there is lack of information showing libraries in Kenya having involved library users in service quality evaluation through the use of objective and user-based tools. Thus this paper may lead to libraries in Kenya embracing objective measurement tools for the evaluation of library service quality. It is hoped that this article will contribute to a better understanding of philosophies such as total quality management in an academic library environment in developing countries, users’ expectations and perceptions of quality

The Impact of Information retrieval skills training for nurses: a case study of KEN-AHILA/INASP course in Nairobi, Kenya, 2009

Introduction: Nurses would normally seek for information for three basic reasons: Patient care; practice development and lastly for professional/personal development. In this study, KEN-AHILA identified nurses as the largest group of healthcare providers who are in dire need of skills to know when they need healthcare information, where and how to find it and efficiently and effectively put it into use.. The HIFA2015 challenge for 2009 spelling out the need for nurses to have access to the information they need for diagnosis, appropriate care and treatment and save lives, gave KEN-AHILA the added incentive to source for funding and eventually mount the training and hence this evaluation study. KEN-AHILA approached the National Nurses Association of Kenya who agreed to provide a forum for the training and thereafter submitted a proposal to INASP who again readily offered the much needed funding for the four training sessions. The course was offered to a group of Senior Nurses drawn from various institutions within the Republic of Kenya who had already been selected to attend a Leadership for Change course mounted by the International Council for Nurses. The course was spread out throughout 2009 and the IL which was facilitated by KEN-AHILA was slotted in during the four sessions. Objectives: (1) to evaluate the information retrieval skills training given to nurses, (2) to collect practical lessons learnt that can guide future training and share experiences on the same. (3) to evaluate the impact of the training on to the nurses competencies to access and use electronic health information. Methodology: a total of 21 nurses who went through the training were sent self-administered questionnaires with both closed and open ended questions. The questionnaires were e-mailed to participants and a further hardcopy was also mailed by post to ensure that those in areas where internet facilities are not readily available also had an equal opportunity of participating in the study. Follow up SMS and phone calls ensured higher recall. 15 questionnaires were returned. The survey sought to find out the following key issues among others: (1) Improved performance on the job as a result of gained IL skills. (2) Whether skills and knowledge acquired contributed to professional development. (3) Whether initiatives were taken to share knowledge and skills gained with other teams in the workplace. (4) Whether the course content and organization met their needs Results: Participating nurses were at different levels of IL and computer skills competency at the beginning of the course. This meant that the trainers had to pay individual attention to those whose competencies were low. Some of the competencies whose ratings improved included: Internet searching, use of search engines Free versus controlled vocabulary searching and managing search results among others. By the end of the sessions, there was improved competency in all participants. All participants agreed that they had benefited from the training and concur that it has helped them in their job performance and professional development. Conclusion: Ken-AHILA hopes to continue with these series of training when funds allow and have plans with the National Nurses Association of Kenya that the association will continue to volunteer to give IL sessions to Nurses. Participants were eager for more training on online information retrieval skills. The need for better computer skills was also appreciated. Generally nursing professionals need a wide range of health information to meet their clinical and educational needs and this provides an opportunity for health information professionals to contribute to better healthcare by imparting knowledge and skills of knowing sources of e- health information and being able to retrieve it and use it for improved health

Saving lives through health information; African leadership and partnership

Reliable and timely health information saves lives. Health librarians are crucial to providing access and their effectiveness is enhanced by networks and partnerships. Demonstrable benefits are emerging through a tried and tested model for leadership and partnership working. Longstanding relationships between three pan African bodies Association for Health Information and Libraries in Africa (AHILA), the Information Training & Outreach Centre for Africa (ITOCA) and Partnerships in Health Information (Phi) have become more strategic through Phi promoting African leadership as a key strand of its strategy and through the partners formalising their partnership. ITOCA, whose established role in capacity building is well respected in the profession, and AHILA whose professional development and advocacy work culminates in biennial congresses bringing together health information professionals to share and learn from one another, and Phi have strengthened their alliance and enhanced their impact through working more closely together under Memorandum of Understanding agreements signed in October 2011. A member of ITOCA staff now serves as Phi coordinator for Africa; and as AHILA coordinator, providing a much needed secretariat to support AHILA Executive. This alliance is paying dividends in enabling easy and speedy communication and collaborative working across all three partners, whose combined networks provide a unique source of knowledge and expertise. Two examples, both with roots in IFLA initiatives, demonstrate the need for such a model and the gaps the partnership works to address. In October 2012 an African led workshop ‘Public Access to Health Information (PAHI); training for Trainers’ sponsored by Phi and AHILA and supported by ITOCA, was held at the AHILA Conference in Cape Verde. In November 2012 a week- long workshop on resource management was held in Lusaka coordinated by Phi and delivered by ITOCA. On the final day, the President of AHILA played a key role, and an adaptation of the IFLA Building Strong Library Associations workshop was held at which the Zambian chapter of AHILA was revitalized