1. Project Uncover Health Information Databases (UNHID)
Morehouse School of Medicine Library
Masters of Public Health Program
Booker T. Washington High School

2. Statement of Need
The staff at the library of the Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) has determined that the need exists within its community of students, faculty, and surrounding community residents to become knowledgeable about the National Library of Medicine (NLM) databases. This determination is based on observations of all three groups over the past four years through Library orientations and previous work done in the community.

3. Project UNHID is designed to:
Promote the use of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) consumer health information databases among:
students and faculty of the Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) Master of Public Health (MPH) Program
adults and high school students in the community adjacent to the school’s campus
public, school, and academic librarians

4. This Project seeks to: Improve health literacy
Decrease health disparities
Inform health professionals
Increase preference for NLM databases

5. Partners Booker T. Washington High School MSM Public Health Program
MSM Library

6. Core Project Team Role Person Title Duties Timeline
Principal Investigator
Cynthia L. Henderson, MILS, AHIP
Director,
MSM Library
CPT Leader, planning, monitor budget, submit reports, assist in training
Ongoing from September 2007 – June 2008
Co-Investigator
Darlene P. Kelly, MSLS
Division Head for Information Services, MSM Library
Planning, create hands-on component and materials, primary trainer
Joe Swanson, Jr, MSLS
Division Head for Computer Systems, MSM Library
Planning, equipment setup, software installation and assist in training
Team Member /Liaison
Carter E. Coleman
Principal, Booker T. Washington High School
Planning and liaison for MPH faculty availability
Team Member/ Liaison
Patricia Rodney, PhD
Director, MSM MPH Program
Assist in training public librarians, assessment and evaluation
Evaluator
Roland B. Welmaker, Sr., PhD
Librarian III, MSM Library
Project assessment and evaluation

7. Goal
To reduce health disparities among African American students and faculty at MSM and residents in communities adjacent to the campuses by leading them to understandable information about their health

8. Objectives and Activities
Enhance the abilities of faculty at MSM to use the NLM databases in developing health information components in their curriculum
Two interactive hands-on workshops
Faculty will be requested to attend both workshops

9. Objectives and Activities (continued)
Increase the levels of awareness and use of the NLM databases among students at MSM
Four interactive hands-on student workshops
Students will be asked to attend at least two of the workshops

10. Objectives and Activities (continued)
Increase community awareness of NLM databases so that they become the sites of choice in the search for authoritative health information
Four community resident workshops
Residents will be asked to attend one of the workshops

11. Objectives and Activities (continued)
Enhance the abilities of public, school, and academic librarians to help library patrons in the use of the NLM databases
Two days of interactive hands-on workshops
Librarians will be asked to attend both days in order to receive Consumer Health Information Specialization Certification.

12. Project Challenges Scheduling of Sessions Consistent Communication
Unavoidable reduction in staff

13. Project Impact as of April 30, 2008
Participation in a Health Fair at Washington High School
Acknowledgement from Washington High Faculty of willingness to put use of the NLM databases into their science curriculum
Increased collaboration between the MSM Library and the MSM MPH program

14. Activities accomplished as of April 30, 2008
Enhance the abilities of MPH faculty at MSM to use the NLM databases in developing health information components in their curriculum
Two interactive hands-on workshops
Faculty will be requested to attend both workshops
The First MPH Faculty workshop was held March 28, 2008

15. Activities accomplished (continued)
Increase the levels of awareness and use of the NLM databases among MPH students at MSM
Four interactive hands-on student workshops
Students will be asked to attend at least two of the workshops
The First MPH Student workshops will be held with MPH Faculty participation in August 2008

16. Activities accomplished (continued)
Increase community awareness of NLM databases so that they become the sites of choice in the search for authoritative health information
Four community resident workshops
Eight (8) community resident workshops were held in the Booker T. Washington High School in High school students from three (3) chemistry classes, two (2) botany classes and three (3) physics classes of 10th through 12th graders plus three (3) teachers and one (1) paraprofessional assistant which made for a total of one hundred seventy seven (177) participants trained. A total of seven (7) teachers were trained at a separate orientation.

17. Activities accomplished (continued)
Enhance the abilities of public, school, and academic librarians to help library patrons in the use of the NLM databases
Two days of interactive hands-on workshops
One (1) interactive hands-on workshop was held in the MSM Library Electronic Laboratory for twenty (20) public, school, and academic librarians for instruction in searching the NLM Consumer Health databases, search strategies, and evaluation of web sites. The workshop trainers were from ORISE.

18. The Next Six Months
Faculty Workshops - One (1) interactive hands-on workshop for thirty (30) faculty members.
Student Workshops - Four (4) interactive hands-on workshops sessions for 100 MPH students.
Resident Workshops - Four (4) community resident workshops will be held in the Booker T. Washington High School.
Librarian Workshops – One (1) interactive hands-on workshop will be held in the MSM Library Electronic Laboratory.

19. Sustainability
Partners will collaborate to hold an annual Health Information Literacy Fair at MSM.
MSM Librarians will provide refresher annual training sessions.
MSM Librarians will also serve in a resource capacity after the project and submit articles and/or stories to UNCFSP about continuing ehealth efforts made by MSM library.

20. Evaluation Focus Groups
Pre and Post Test Measures of awareness and use of NLM Databases
Pre and Post Test Measures of preferred sites for health information

21. Conclusion
Project UNHID will support health promotion and disease prevention and should provide further steps towards ensuring good health.

22. Acknowledgement
This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the National Library of Medicine and the UNCFSP/NLM-HBCU ACCESS Project. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Library of Medicine or the UNCFSP/NLM-HBCU ACCESS Project.