Richland Public Health, through a grant provided by the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, is providing internet-connected Health Information Kiosks at all Mansfield/Richland County Public Library locations.

The kiosks have internet-enabled Apple iPads in them that are pre-loaded to connect to National Institute of Health (NIH) websites. Each app on the screen contains information that has been verified to contain evidence-based information to help improve access to important information.

The pre-loaded apps are:

  • Medline Plus– Covers diseases, conditions, medications, wellness topics, and the latest news, in both English and Spanish.
  • Health Reach – Multilingual, multicultural health information and patient education materials about health conditions and wellness topics. Learn about diseases, causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention.
  • Family Health– Enter your family health history and learn about your risks and conditions that may run in your family.
  • LactMed– Database of drugs and dietary supplements that may affect breastfeeding. Suggested therapeutic alternatives to those drugs are provided, where appropriate.
  • AIDS Information – Federally -approved HIV/AIDS medical practice guidelines, HIV treatment and prevention clinical trials, and research.
  • Women’s Health (OWH)– Search for important information on reproductive health, diseases and conditions affecting women, and women’s health and wellness.
  • National Institute on Aging (NIH)– This information is focused in the care of the aging population, including information on Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and end-of-life care. This information is for the aging population as well as caregivers.
  • Genetics Home Reference– Information on health conditions that may be inherited as well as functions of more than 1,400 genes and how they are related to health conditions.
  • Drug Information Portal – Search for information on drug names, purposes, and interactions.
  • PillBox– Identify unknown prescription, over-the-counter, homeopathic, and veterinary medications.
  • HerbList– Search for information on herbs common names, history, uses, potential safety problems or side effects, and herb-drug interactions.
  • Tox-App– Search for industrial facilities that most recently reported releasing certain chemicals into the environment to the US EPA TRI program. You can search for reporting facilities, or browse for these facilities by chemical, state, or county.
  • Home-Occupation– Occupational health database of information about adverse effects of workplace exposures to chemical and biological agents.
  • Disaster Information– Information including natural disasters and infectious disease disaster, and the impact it can have on your health.
  • PubMed*– Database of more than 26 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. *This app is especially useful for physicians.

In addition to the apps, there is a link to SurveyMonkey and users are encouraged to write a review of their experience with the Health Information Kiosk (all surveys are confidential).

As with any medical information, individuals using the kiosks should follow up with a physician or healthcare provider or health professional before planning any medical plan.

There is one Health Information Kiosk, either a desktop or free-standing unit, in each of the Mansfield/Richland County libraries. Those library branches are located in Mansfield, Bellville, Butler, Crestview, Lexington, Lucas, Madison, Ontario, and Plymouth. There is an instruction manual located by each kiosks. Librarians have been trained in using the kiosk if assistance is needed.

“We hope that Richland County residents find the kiosks useful for quick access to valuable health information without having to do complicated searches through the Internet,” said Julie Chaya, Director of Community Health and Prevention Sciences at Richland Public Health. “These kiosks will also make National Institute of Health (NIH) websites and apps available to residents who may not otherwise have access to the Internet at home. Partnering with the Mansfield/Richland County Public Library on this initiative is providing library patrons with the opportunity to obtain medically accurate, age-appropriate, and relevant healthcare information that are not always found during Google searches. Our goal of this effort is to support Richland County residents in becoming well informed healthcare consumers and advocates of their own health.”

Source, Photo: Richland Public Health

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