The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #60726

Lucie Chu Chen, BS, MLS¹, Gale Dutcher, MLS, MS¹, and Kathy Murray, MLS². (1) Specialized Information Services Division, Office of Outreach and Special Populations, National Library of Medicine, 6707 Democracy Blvd, Suite 510, Room 514, Bethesda, MD 20892, (301)496-5684, ChenL@mail.nlm.nih.gov, (2) Consortium Library, Health Sciences Information Service, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508

Special populations have special health needs. Do they also have special needs for health and public health information? The National Library of Medicine believes they do and has created a series of health information Web sites geared to meet the needs of these targeted populations. In 2001, NLM developed and publicly released the Arctic Health Web site. Its goal is to provide a central source of information on diverse aspects of the Arctic environment and the health of Northern peoples. The Arctic Health Web site provides links to documents, databases, and other Web resources devoted to Arctic(including Alaska native)health issues. The site was ultimately transferred to its current host, the University of Alaska Anchorage, whose staff is well versed in Arctic issues and able to maintain the site in an exemplary manner. NLM is currently working on two other special population Web sites, focusing on Asian Americans and American Indian health, to be released later in 2003. Under discussion for future developments are Hispanic American, African American and Pacific Islander health Web sites. These information portals will offer ethnic populations and the health professionals who serve them, access to evaluated information from federal and state governments, as well as universities and other authoritative organizations. Information will be included on predominant diseases, environmental health, health care policies, consumer health issues, and medical research. This paper describes the development process for the Arctic Health Web site and others under development, and highlights the types of health information links selected for inclusion.

Learning Objectives:

• NLM's online information portals will offer ethnic minorities and other health professionals who serve them, access to evaluated public health information from federal and state governments, as well as universities and other authoritative organizations on issues such as predominant diseases, environmental health, health care policies, consumer health, telehealth, medical research and publications. Hopefully these information will change behavioral patterns and influence lifestyles of these targeted special populations, and impact health disparities.

Keywords: Ethnic Minorities, Special Populations

Related Web page: www.arctichealth.org/test

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: U.S. National Library of Medicine, Specialized Information Services Division, Office of Outreach and Special Populations. University of Alaska Anchorage, Health Sciences Information Service Consortium Library.
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.