Health Affairs
Volume 35, Issue 11, 2016, Pages 2030-2036

Beyond books: Public libraries as partners for population health (Article) (Open Access)

Morgan A.U. , Dupuis R. , D'Alonzo B. , Johnson A. , Graves A. , Brooks K.L. , McClintock A. , Klusaritz H. , Bogner H. , Long J.A. , Grande D. , Cannuscio C.C.*
  • a Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States
  • b Center for Public Health Initiatives, University of Pennsylvania, United States
  • c Center for Public Health Initiatives, University of Pennsylvania, United States
  • d Department of History and Sociology of Science, University of Pennsylvania, United States
  • e Center for Public Health Initiatives, University of Pennsylvania, United States
  • f Center for Public Health Initiatives, University of Pennsylvania, United States
  • g Department at the Free Library of Philadelphia, United States
  • h Center for Public Health Initiatives, Center for Community and Population Health, United States
  • i Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, United States
  • j Veterans Affairs Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, United States
  • k Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States
  • l Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, United States, Center for Public Health Initiatives, United States

Abstract

Public libraries are not usually included in discussions about improving population health. They are, however, well positioned to be partners in building a culture of health through programming that addresses the social determinants of health. The Healthy Library Initiative, a partnership between the University of Pennsylvania and the Free Library of Philadelphia (the public library system that serves the city), has undertaken such efforts in Philadelphia. In this article we report findings from an assessment of how ten highly subscribed programs address the social determinants of health, as well as results of interviews with community residents and library staff. Of the 5.8 million in-person Free Library visits in 2015, 500,000 included attendance at specialized programs that addressed multiple health determinants, such as housing and literacy. Library staff provided intensive support to vulnerable populations including homeless people, people with mental illness and substance use, recent immigrants, and children and families suffering from trauma.We found that public libraries are trusted institutions that have broad population reach and untapped potential to improve population health.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

Vulnerable Populations vulnerable population librarian immigrant Libraries cooperation population health population homeless person mental health human injury social determinants of health Pennsylvania resident interview mental disease health Humans Philadelphia psychology substance use Article organization and management Cooperative Behavior homelessness library public health
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84995933114&doi=10.1377%2fhlthaff.2016.0724&partnerID=40&md5=02c22710719ec74e4082db83f1f1b166
DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2016.0724
ISSN: 02782715
Cited by: 13
Original Language: English