Project title: Health Information for Non Literate Populations.

 

Department/organization:  School of Library & Information Science

 

Mentor Name: Professor Padmini Srinivasan

 

Mentor Address:         3067 Main Library

 

Brief project description:

 

As per the 2006 World Health Report from the WHO at least 1.3 billion people worldwide do not have access to the most basic healthcare.  Key reasons include economic status and a serious shortage of health care workers in many parts of the world.  One solution to this problem is to find ways to promote health literacy, amongst individuals, families and communities in marginalized populations. Following this approach the specific aim of this project is to convert into XML format a book titled “Where there is no doctor” produced and distributed by the non-profit Hesperian Foundation (http://www.hesperian.org/). This is one of a series of books on health care that are being freely distributed.  The XML chapters will interweave existing English and Spanish versions with images, voice recordings and possibly movie clips.  For example each chapter may be associated with sets of images designed for different cultural contexts (e.g. Native American, Latina/o etc., Bangladeshi).  Chapters will also have a variety of metadata such as date reviewed, experts, and links to web resources.  Two chapters will be at least partially completed over summer 07 as a prototype.

 

Examples of key activities:

 

A variety of activities are possible.  Some examples: XML conversion, metadata design, developing image selection criteria, developing methods for voice recordings in different languages, identifying web resources, grant writing.

 

Number of students that can be accommodated: 1

 

Duration:  At least Fall 2007.

 

Training:  Will be provided for XML and metadata.

 

Software/Hardware involved:

XML software (OxyGen), databases, SLIS server.

 

Tangible end product:

Web accessible XML version of the book.