New roles and challenges for health information specialists: professional changes over the years

Scilla Pizzarelli; Rosaria Rosanna Cammarano; Letizia Sampaolo; Maurella Della Seta

doi:10.1111/hir.12246

New roles and challenges for health information specialists: professional changes over the years

Health Info Libr J. 2019 Mar;36(1):101-105. doi: 10.1111/hir.12246.

Authors

Scilla Pizzarelli¹, Rosaria Rosanna Cammarano¹, Letizia Sampaolo¹, Maurella Della Seta¹

Affiliation

¹ Scientific Knowledge and Communication Service/Documentation Unit, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.

PMID: 30811884
DOI: 10.1111/hir.12246

Abstract

In this article, guest writers from the Istituto Superiore di Sanità in Italy, the leading scientific technical body of the Italian National Health Service present a historic case study considering the role and evolution of the information specialists at their institution over a twenty year period. The paper places a particular emphasis on the initiatives undertaken in consumer health information and health literacy promotion, in order to improve public health in Italy. Areas covered include the development of online health information provision, early strategies to support the improvement of health literacy, and national projects and collaborations. H.S.

Keywords: consumer health information; health literacy; information dissemination; information services; libraries; medical.

MeSH terms

Consumer Health Information*
Health Literacy*
Humans
Information Dissemination*
Information Services / standards*
Italy
Libraries, Medical*
National Health Programs
Public Health