The Development of a Public-Private Partnership to Improve HIV/AIDS Consumers' Access to Quality Health Information

Abstract

The Consumers' Boston AIDS Information Outreach Project (CBAIOP) was implemented to improve access to health care information for HIV/AIDS consumers in Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. The Project, sponsored by the Boston University Medical Center Library and the Boston Public Health Commission AIDS Program, included three primary components: (1) information skills workshops for HIV/AIDS consumers, (2) a Web site with quality-filtered links to HIV/AIDS information resources, and (3) a Web-based information skills tutorial. This article provides an overview of the project and discusses the impact of collaborative programs on improved information-access and information-seeking skills for HIV/AIDS and other health care consumers.

Key Words:

• HIV/AIDS
• consumer health information
• Web site design
• Internet resources
• health sciences libraries
• education programs
• Web-based tutorials