1. Providing high quality health information for students Challenges and solutions Knut Schroeder Student Health Association Conference Bristol 3 July 2014

2. Interest in health literacy & self care in young people GP, Concord Medical Centre Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer, UoB Board Member, Self Care Forum Founder & Director, Expert Self Care

3. Mission: Improve student health through information 1.Share passion for: Quality health information Health literacy & self care Making more informed decisions about health 2.Discuss and learn about: Good practice Tips & ideas Resources

4. Over the next hour… 3 x 5-10 mins short presentations (KS) 3 x 10 mins discussions (all) Notes on flip chart or paper (all) Ideas on post its (all) Plan for future (all) Then… Email summary

5. What we’ll cover… 1.Why do we need good quality health information? 2.What is good quality health information? 3.How can we provide it?

6. 1 Why do we need good quality health information?

7. Health literacy “Health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions” My foot hurts – should I see my GP? I’ve missed my pill – what should I do? I always feel low – am I going mad?

8. Making more informed decisions Health anxiety Poor decision making Quality of life and health outcomes

9. Health problems in students Mental health Eating disorders Stress, anxiety, depression Sex Contraception Relationships STIs Drugs Alcohol Smoking Drugs Other Asthma, skin, injuries, minor ailments, travel

10. Accessing health services Getting confused and anxious by ‘Dr Google’ Pressure on GP appointments and A&E attendances

11. Overview of research Patient Information Forum Report 2014 “Providing information to patients improves outcomes, reduces costs and gives people a better experience of care.” www.pifonline.org.uk

12. Health Literacy “People cannot achieve their fullest health potential unless they are able to take control of those things which determine their health.” http://www.euro.who.int/__data/asset s/pdf_file/0008/190655/e96854.pdf

13. RCGP Health literacy workshop http://www.rcgp.org.uk/news/201 4/june/~/media/Files/Policy/RCGP -Health-Literacy-2014.ashx GPs have a central role in… “…supporting patients to develop health literacy skills, both in understanding and using health information (…)” “…tailoring information not only to clinical need but also to patient health literacy.” June 2014

14. Need for action: “There is a growing research evidence base that when informed, confident patients work in genuine partnership with healthcare professionals the result is better decisions and better care. Yet information is still not seen as a fundamental part of the service.” Jeremy Taylor, Chief Executive, National Voices

15. What students told us… Student health issues Health & Friends Meningitis, depression, sexual health Health anxiety – serious illness Navigating the health system Avoid seeing a doctor! Desire to talk to someone Google & ‘Embarrassing Bodies’

16. The bottom line… “Students want and need good quality health information.” Take a look at PIF report on ‘Making the case for information’. Available at www.pifonline.org.uk

17. Questions 1.What are the main health issues for your students? 2.What health information needs do they have?

18. 2 What is good quality health information?

19. Gold standard The Information Standard www.theinformationstandard.org.uk

20. Quality info ClearRelevantWell designedReadableAccessibleAccurateAuthoritative Evidence based CompleteUp to date

21. Examples http://www.theinformationstandard.org/members /members-list http://www.theinformationstandard.org/members /members-list NHS Choices – student pages Patient.co.uk BEAT – Eating Disorders Asthma UK British Association of Dermatologists North Bristol NHS Trust Youth health talk

22. NHS Choices

23. Patient UK

24. BEAT – eating disorders

25. Youth health talk

26. Bristol Students’ Health Service

27. The bottom line… Much high quality health information is already available Information is spread over many sites and can be difficult to find Check out The Information Standard and list of approved information providers at www.theinformationstandard.org

28. Questions 1.What information do you provide in your setting? 2.What other useful resources are you aware of?

29. 3 How can we provide quality health information?

30. Developing health information Information strategy Write a project brief Find out what’s out there Involve users Appraise Evidence Clinical Knowledge Summaries NICE Cochrane Involve experts Charities Style & Writing Use guidance from The Information Standard

31. Ways to provide health info to students Paper Website Text messaging Social media Apps

32. Why apps? On your mobile Private Fast access, anywhere Easy to use Cheap/free Easy to update

33. Apps

34. New student health app

35. Useful resources & contacts Patient Information Forum – http://www.pifonline.org.uk/http://www.pifonline.org.uk/ Self care forum - http://www.selfcareforum.org/http://www.selfcareforum.org/ The Information Standard - http://www.theinformationstandard.org/ http://www.theinformationstandard.org/ Society of Academic Primary Care Health Literacy Group - http://www.healthliteracy.org.uk/ http://www.healthliteracy.org.uk/

36. The bottom line… 1.Involve students in producing and disseminating information 2.Use media that are right for your setting Think about how you can involve students in your information strategy

37. Questions How can you improve health information provision in your practice? Do you want to continue sharing ideas? Email list? Facebook? Twitter? Website? Contact: k.schroeder@bristol.ac.uk