Learning Curves: Making Quality Online Health Information Available at a Fitness Center

Abstract

Meeting consumer health information needs can be a challenge. Research suggests that women seek health information from a variety of resources, including the Internet. In an effort to make women aware of reliable health information sources, the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center–Shreveport Medical Library engaged in a partnership with a franchise location of Curves International, Inc. This article will discuss the project, its goals, and its challenges.

KEYWORDS:

• Consumer health
• Curves International, Inc.
• health information seeking
• women's health

Acknowledgments

This article not subject to US copyright law.

The authors would like to thank Mark Baggett for his assistance in this project and Michael Watson for his work creating the Women's Health portion of the healthelinks web site. Special thanks to the Curves franchise owners Amy Walker (Curves North Bossier) and Sandie Smoak (Curves North Market) for working with us on this project.

This article is based on poster sessions presented at annual meetings in October 2010 at the South Central Chapter/Medical Library Association in Austin, Texas, and in May 2011 at the Medical Library Association in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

This project has been funded in whole or in part with federal funds from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. N01-LM-6-3505 with the Houston Academy of Medicine–Texas Medical Center Library.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Montie' T. Dobbins

Montie' T. Dobbins, MLIS, AHIP ([email protected]) is Head, User Access Services;

Talicia Tarver

Talicia Tarver, MLIS ([email protected]) is Digital and Information Services Librarian;

Mararia Adams

Mararia Adams, MLIS ([email protected]) is Assistant Director, Systems;

Dixie A. Jones

Dixie A. Jones, MLS, AHIP ([email protected]) is Associate Director; all at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Library, P.O. Box 33932, Shreveport, LA 71130-3932.