PERCEPTION AND USAGE OF HEALTH INFORMATION SOURCES AND SERVICES AMONG THE URBAN COMMUNITY USERS OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES: A CASE STUDY OF BHADRAVATHI

The study examined the perception and usage of health information sources and services by the urban community users of public libraries. The study investigated 110 users from two public libraries in Bhadravathi. Findings revealed that majority of the users not enrolling library membership. 44.54% of users were visit library daily and large numbers of respondents were get health information through newspaper followed by television, advertisements and pamphlet/brochures. Education and sports were the most frequently preferred topics by the users. Arogya column published by Prajavani Kannada newspaper was most preferred newspaper column for getting health information by the users followed by VK Health column published by Vijaya Karnataka was stood in 2nd position to get health information by the users. Most of the users preferred Sudha, Gruhashobha and Taranga magazines to get health information. Stimulatingly, large number of the users frequently listen health related programs in Radio. The study also revealed that most of the users were aware about H1N1, DPT, Polio, BCG, TT, AIDS Control, 108 Arogya Kavacha, Malaria Cholera Dengue, Family Planning, Chicken Gunya district health programs of Karnataka state.