Health literacy and libraries: a literature review

Purpose The aim of this article is to assess the involvement of libraries in health literacy programs and initiatives based on a review of the literature.  Methodology Four databases were searched for articles that described health literacy programs and initiatives within libraries.  Findings Several themes of health literacy programs in libraries emerged: health literacy for older adults, underserved populations, the general public, healthcare professionals and medical students, and patients. Collaborations between libraries and community organizations were frequently utilized.  Practical implications Librarians may use this review to understand the history of health literacy efforts and libraries in order to inform future programming. This review will contextualize current research on health literacy and libraries.  Originality/value Despite the currency and relevance of this topic, there are no literature reviews on health literacy and librarianship

Students in Service to America. A Guidebook for Engaging America\u27s Students in a Lifelong Habit of Service

For young people, service to others can develop important habits and skills that help them become an asset to their neighborhoods. This guide was created to help adults teachers, parents, after-school providers, and members of community-based organizations to find and create opportunities for young people to answer President George W. Bush\u27s call for all U.S. people to dedicate at least two years of their lives in service to their communities, their country, or the world. The guide contains nine sections: (1) Letter from the President of the United States of America ; (2) Letter from Supporting Organizations ; (3) Table of Contents ; (4) Introduction ; (5) Fostering a Culture of Service, Citizenship, and Responsibility, (President\u27s Call to Service; USA Initiative; Examples of Student Projects Already Part of the USA Initiative); (6) Bringing Service to the Classroom (Developing Habits of Service; Hallmarks of Effective Service Programs; Ten Steps for Bringing Service to Your Classrooms); (7) About Service-Learning (What Is Service-Learning?; Benefits of Student Service and Service-Learning; Examples of Service-Learning in Action); (8) Tools and Resources (In Schools; Outside the Classroom; Recognition Programs) ; and (9) Conclusion. If (BT

Implementing Elements of The Physics Suite at a Large Metropolitan Research University

A key question in physics education is the effectiveness of the teaching methods. A curriculum that has been investigated at the University of Central Florida (UCF) over a period of two years is the use of particular elements of The Physics Suite. Select sections of the introductory physics classes at UCF have made use of Interactive Lecture Demonstrations as part of the lecture component of the class. The lab component of the class has implemented the RealTime Physics curriculum, again in select sections. The remaining sections have continued with the teaching methods traditionally used. Using pre- and post-semester concept inventory tests, a student survey, student interviews, and a standard for successful completion of the course, the data indicates improved student learning

Academic Assessment: Best Practices for Successful Outcomes with Accreditation Evaluation Teams

This chapter describes the role of faculty in conducting quality assessment and includes suggestions for preparing for successful meetings with reviewers on accreditation teams

Treatment Outcomes for Toddlers with Behaviour Problems from Families in Poverty

Background. Relatively few treatment studies address mental health issues in very young children. This study examined the effectiveness of a treatment program for toddlers whose behavior problems were further complicated by living in poverty. Method. An empirically-validated treatment program was adapted for use in the homes of 102 toddlers for an average of 12 weekly sessions. Results. Significant improvements were found for the children’s behavior problems and their compliance to parent requests. Discussion. The inherent challenges in working with at-risk families and the challenges in delivering mental health services for very young children living in poverty are discussed

A critical analysis of the cycles of physical activity policy in England

BACKGROUND: There has been increasing focus on the importance of national policy to address population levels of physical inactivity. Components of a comprehensive national physical activity policy framework include: 1) national recommendations on physical activity levels; 2) setting population goals and targets; 3) surveillance or health monitoring systems; and 4) public education. The aim of the current paper was to analyse the policy actions which have addressed each of these elements in England and to identify areas of progress and remaining challenges.  METHODS: A literature search was undertaken to identify past and present documents relevant to physical activity policy in England. Each document was analysed to identify content relevant to the four key elements of policy which formed the focus of the current research.  RESULTS: Physical activity recommendations are an area where England has demonstrated a robust scientific approach and good practice; however, the physical activity campaigns in England have not been sufficiently sustained to achieve changes in social norms and behaviour. The setting of physical activity targets has been unrealistic and continuous changes to national surveillance measures have presented challenges for monitoring trends over time.  CONCLUSIONS: Overall, physical activity policy in England has fluctuated over the past two decades. The variations and cycles in policy reflect some of the challenges in implementing and sustaining physical activity policy in the face of political changes, changes in government direction, and changing opportunities to profile active lifestyles

Poor numeracy skills are associated with glycaemic control in Type 1 diabetes.

To assess the numeracy and literacy skills of individuals with Type 1 diabetes and determine if there is a relationship with achieved glycaemic control independent of their duration of diabetes, diabetes education, demographic and socio-economic factors

THE USE OF PROPENSITY SCORES TO ASSESS THE GENERALIZABILITY OF RESULTS FROM RANDOMIZED TRIALS

Randomized trials remain the most accepted design for estimating the effects of interventions, but they do not necessarily answer a question of primary interest: Will the program be effective in a target population in which it may be implemented? In other words,are the results generalizable? There has been very little statistical research on how to assess the generalizability, or external validity, of randomized trials. We propose the use of propensity-score-based metrics to quantify the similarity of the participants in a randomized trial and a target population. In this setting the propensity score model predicts participation in the randomized trial, given a set of covariates. The resulting propensity scores are used first to quantify the difference between the trial participants and the target population, and then to weight the control group outcomes to the population, assessing how well the weighted outcomes track the outcomes actually observed in the population. These metrics can serve as a first step in assessing the generalizability of results from randomized trials to target populations. This paper lays out these ideas, discusses the assumptions underlying the approach, and illustrates the metrics using data on the evaluation of a schoolwide prevention program called Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

Families' social backgrounds matter : socio-economic factors, home learning and young children's language, literacy and social outcomes

Parental support with children's learning is considered to be one pathway through which socio-economic factors influence child competencies. Utilising a national longitudinal sample from the Millennium Cohort Study, this study examined the relationship between home learning and parents' socio-economic status and their impact on young children's language/literacy and socio-emotional competence. The findings consistently showed that, irrespective of socio-economic status, parents engaged with various learning activities (except reading) roughly equally. The socio-economic factors examined in this study, i.e., family income and maternal educational qualifications, were found to have a stronger effect on children's language/literacy than on social-emotional competence. Socio-economic disadvantage, lack of maternal educational qualifications in particular, remained powerful in influencing competencies in children aged three and at the start of primary school. For children in the first decade of this century in England, these findings have equity implications, especially as the socio-economic gap in our society widens

The Academics Athletics Trade-off: Universities and Intercollegiate Athletics

This analysis focuses on several key issues in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The intrinsic benefits of athletic programs are discussed in the first section. Trends in graduation rates and academic performance among athletes and how they correlate with the general student body are discussed in the second section. Finally, an overview of the revenues and expenses of athletic department budgets are discussed in an effort to gain a better understanding of the allocation of funds to athletics. In spite of recent growth in revenues and expenses, the athletic department budget comprises on average only 5 percent of the entire university budget at an FBS school, though spending and revenues have increased dramatically in recent years. In the grand scheme of things, American higher education faces several other, arguably more pressing, areas of reform. However, athletics is a significant and growing dimension of higher education that warrants in-depth examination