Human Information Interaction

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Background and Aim: This research aims to explore relation between health literacy and information literacy of post-graduate students in Ferdowsi university of Mashhad.

Method: This research is descriptive-correlational survey research. Population included post-graduate students of Ferdowsi university of Mashhad that 368 of them were selected via stratified sampling. Two Questionnaires were used for data collection. First one was Health Literacy for Iranian Adults (HELIA) that was a reliable and valid instrument for measuring health literacy in Iran and include the following constructs: ability to read, ability and skills to access, understand, and appraise health information, make decisions, and practice in order to maintain or improve health. The second one was designed by the researchers in order to measure information literacy skills including four dimensions: identifying information needs, locating, organizing, and evaluating information.

Results: Finding showed that 25% of students have inadequate health literacy, 38.31% of them have moderate literacy and others have normal high-quality health literacy. Also, their information literacy level is higher than average. Also the results show significant and positive correlation between information literacy and health literacy. Level of health literacy in female students is higher than males and level of this variable in Ph. D. Students is more than Master students. Findings showed that post graduate students search the internet and communicate with friends in order to acquire health information.

Conclusion: Since, Impact of Information literacy on information skills from the access to evaluation and use of information. So, Enhancement of information literacy skills in students could improve their health literacy. Accordingly, libraries can increase level of students’ health literacy by learning information literacy skills. Some libraries’ programs are noticed in order to enhance level of students’ health literacy and information literacy

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Background and Aim: Technologies such as social networks have provided new opportunities for health and social interactions, and the promotion of attitudes such as the attitudes of health control and improving the health literacy in society. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between the use of social networks with the health literacy of Ilam public library users.
Methods: The present study has used questionnaire based survey method. The statistical population of this study is 4696 users of public libraries in Ilam. Based on Morgan's table, 351 individuals were selected as sample size. The questionnaire was distributed by using of stratified random sampling method. To analyze the data, descriptive and inferential statistical tests were used by SPSS 19 software.
Results: The Findings showed that the components average of users in receiving health literacy information was at a sensible level and, due to the importance of those components, users began to utilize social networks in the field of health literacy. Also, the findings showed that there was a significant relationship between users' use of social networks and health literacy and the components (access, reading, understanding, assessment, application), so that by increasing the use of social networks, the health literacy of users increases as well.
Conclusion: According to the findings, it can be concluded that public libraries, universities and centers related to health cooperate so that held suitable conditions in social networks with the aim of experience sharing and expanding the level of health literacy of users by taking into account issues related to user information confidentiality and so that new facilities and conditions can be provided library users, institutions and planners in this field.

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Background and Aim: The purpose is to identify the components of health literacy amongst University library users.
Methodology: This purpose-based research is a qualitative-quantitative survey study. The qualitative part concentrates on the individuals with background in health literacy and research. In the quantitative part students at the libraries of the University of Tehran were surveyed. The research instrument was a structural questionnaire on health literacy of individuals in the community. Reliability of  more than 0.7 was obtained via Cronbach’s alpha
Findings: It is important to mention that understanding health information stood at the desirable level and other components stood at a comparatively appropriate stage among the elements of health literacy of users at the University Library of Tehran. Although there is a significant relationship between health literacy skills with income, there is no significant relationship among gender, age, faculty, and level of education with health literacy skills.
Conclusion: It is necessary to measure health literacy practically and apply the results in the community and other comparable communities. The level of health literacy could increase considerably by using programs to promote the health literacy of the community.