Community Health and Social Sciences, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, New York, NY 10027, USA.
Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 May 28;19(11):6598. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19116598.
: Public libraries can contribute to reducing economic, social, and health inequities through their programming and practices. However, the extent to which libraries regularly provide programming that improve the social determinants of health (SDH) in underserved communities is unclear. : This study explored the relationship between census tract demographic characteristics and library programming implicated in the SDH for underserved groups at risk for health disparities. A stratified random sample of libraries ( = 235) who completed the 2017 Public Libraries Survey were recruited. Librarians completed surveys about their libraries' economic, social, and health-related programming. Libraries' census tract demographic characteristics were taken from the 2013-2017 American Community Survey. Linear regressions were estimated to determine the relationship between relevant census tract demographic characteristics and programming offered at libraries in the census tracts. Higher proportions of racial and ethnic minorities were associated with more frequent economic and social programs, but results were mixed for health-related programs. Lower proportions of populations with no more than a high school diploma or GED were related to more frequent economic, social, and health-related programs. The inequitable distribution of SDH-related library programming highlights gaps in libraries' responsiveness to community needs. Libraries' programming likely perpetuate systemic inequities.
公共图书馆可以通过其规划和实践为减少经济、社会和健康方面的不平等做出贡献。然而，图书馆定期提供改善服务不足社区社会决定因素健康（SDH）的规划的程度尚不清楚。本研究探讨了人口普查区人口特征与图书馆规划之间的关系，这些规划与处于健康差距风险中的服务不足群体的 SDH 有关。从参加了 2017 年公共图书馆调查的图书馆中抽取了一个分层随机样本（= 235）。图书馆员完成了有关其图书馆经济、社会和与健康相关的规划的调查。从 2013-2017 年美国社区调查中获取了图书馆所在普查区的人口普查区人口特征数据。估计线性回归以确定相关人口普查区人口特征与普查区图书馆提供的规划之间的关系。少数族裔和少数民族的比例较高与更频繁的经济和社会项目相关，但与健康相关的项目结果则喜忧参半。高中文凭或同等学历以下的人口比例较低与更频繁的经济、社会和与健康相关的项目相关。与 SDH 相关的图书馆规划的不平等分配突显了图书馆对社区需求的响应存在差距。图书馆的规划可能会使系统不公平永久化。
