EHSLibrary » video

Weight of the Nation video: great video series from CDC

Todd Vandenbark — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:00:10 +0000

As reported on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s site,

Obesity is common, serious, and costly. More than one-third of adults (35.7%) and approximately 17% of children and adolescents are obese.

To confront this epidemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is collaborating “with public health researchers and practitioners, partners, state and community leaders to raise awareness, share evidence-based strategies.” Since visual messages are among the most powerful in today’s society, the CDC has developed a series of four videos that document the consequences, costs, and challenges for confronting obesity as part of their “Weight of the Nation” campaign:

The videos are just over one hour in length, and premiered May 14-15 on HBO. Below is the first video to get our readers started.

How has obesity adversely affected your life, or the lives of those you care about? If you have overcome obesity, how did you do it? Tell us!

Using storytelling to communicate health messages

Todd Vandenbark — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:32:16 +0000

“Choose your path: BFF or the Ex?” is the title of an interactive video designed to teach teens about the dangers of drug abuse. NIDA for Teens is a site created by the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse aimed at giving teens the straight facts about drug abuse in all its forms: tobacco, steroids, ecstasy, inhalants, prescription drugs, marijuana and more. Watch the video, and at the end you are asked to choose between two options, which takes you to another video showing the consequences of your decision. Teens can even use an online tool to create their own video scenarios and messages.

Stories can be more powerful in communicating critical information than just presenting the facts. And as any parent of a teenager will tell you, teens will listen more to peers than parents. Using teen-created videos to communicate essential health messages is another great idea to promote this aspect of health literacy in young people.

Have you used videos or other forms of storytelling to teach young people about important health issues? Tell us about it!

Poor health literacy knows no boundaries

Todd Vandenbark — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:05:47 +0000

Low health literacy knows no boundary — education, ethnicity, etc. Watch this video from the ACP Foundation of real people who struggle to understand their own or other’s healthcare needs.

Smartphone vs. water

Todd Vandenbark — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 13:50:39 +0000

Health care professionals providing direct care to patients risk having their mobile phones and other devices ruined when they come in contact with fluids — bodily fluids, water from washing up, fishing on days off, etc. Recently the Endgadget blog posted a video showing the Motorola Defy being immersed in water and still functioning. Warning: don’t try this at home with another mobile device!

This smartphone is running the Android OS, and while Apple’s mobile iOS may have the lead in overall sales, a waterproof phone may be enough to get at least some end users, in and out of the healthcare professions, to consider switching.

Haitian librarians describe earthquake destruction

Todd Vandenbark — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:58:47 +0000

From American Libraries Direct, 8/18/2010:

“On January 12, 2010, a devastating earthquake turned an ordinary day into a day of horror and destruction for Haiti. At the IFLA Congress, two Haitian librarians came forward to tell their stories and communicate face-to-face with various international organizations and individuals who want to help with the recovery. During the presentation, the librarians ran this video (4:03), which shows the earthquake actually taking place from security cameras around the library….”

Our UWIN partnership wins an award

Todd Vandenbark — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:23:51 +0000

Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library is championing partnerships between community health clinics and public libraries through the Utah Women’s Health Information Network (UWIN). A thirty-second TV ad campaign shown statewide this fall is highlighting the message “Good Health Information @ Your Library.” This partnership received the Promotion Award for Academic Libraries at the MidContinental Chapter of the Medical Library Association’s fall annual conference. The 15 and 30 second TV spots aired on two statewide ABC & NBC affiliates, and one is now available as a YouTube video.

Good Health Information @ Your Library