Smith Inese A, Pozņaka Velta
Department of Information Science, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK.
Health Info Libr J. 2006 Dec;23 Suppl 1:39-46. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-1842.2006.00678.x.
This paper outlines developments in medical information in Latvia since independence from the former USSR in 1991, and analyses the health information gap faced by professionals.
To explore international initiatives and co-operation in health information provision in Latvia; to describe the activities of Latvian medical librarians at national, regional and international level; to look at health information provision by specialist information centres; and to discuss the role of librarians in health information provision in public libraries.
An extensive search was made of databases and medical library and health information centre staff were interviewed; a questionnaire survey of librarians was carried out.
International initiatives and co-operation by medical librarians have extended their services at national, regional and international level. Health information portals exist, with online contacts and links to smaller health centres and organizations, but rarely employ qualified librarians or information professionals. Ninety-three per cent of public librarians had provided health information, with 79% using the Internet. The most popular sources of health information were magazines, books, local pharmacies and the Internet, but mostly for healthy lifestyle, not medical problems.
E-health and medical informatics are high government priorities. Medical librarians are actively involved in these initiatives.
本文概述了拉脱维亚自1991年从前苏联独立以来医学信息的发展情况，并分析了专业人员面临的健康信息差距。
探讨拉脱维亚在健康信息提供方面的国际倡议与合作；描述拉脱维亚医学图书馆员在国家、地区和国际层面的活动；考察专业信息中心的健康信息提供情况；并讨论图书馆员在公共图书馆健康信息提供中的作用。
广泛检索数据库，并对医学图书馆及健康信息中心的工作人员进行访谈；对图书馆员进行问卷调查。
医学图书馆员的国际倡议与合作扩展了他们在国家、地区和国际层面的服务。存在健康信息门户网站，有在线联系方式并与较小的健康中心及组织建立了链接，但很少聘用合格的图书馆员或信息专业人员。93%的公共图书馆员提供过健康信息，其中79%利用了互联网。最受欢迎的健康信息来源是杂志、书籍、当地药店和互联网，但大多是关于健康生活方式的，而非医疗问题。
电子健康和医学信息学是政府的高度优先事项。医学图书馆员积极参与这些倡议。
