About the Program

Today’s youth have an unprecedented opportunity to learn about and adapt healthy habits that will help them to maximize their chances for living long, healthy lives. However, this opportunity can only be realized if youth have both the requisite information and digital literacy skills and a strong sense of self-efficacy when it comes to their health.

 
Publications

Members of the HackHealth team have made several presentations at various conferences, including the iConference 2014 and ALA 2014. In addition, HackHealth papers are under review at journals like Journal of Medical Internet Research. Another HackHealth paper has been accepted at the Journal of Documentation.

Tools &
Resources

The HackHealth team is developing a group of instructional modules focused on helping young people develop health information literacy skills and health-related self-efficacy. While we are developing the modules to be used together, each module may also stand alone, thus offering librarians and classroom teachers the necessary flexibility.

Project
Impact

The HackHealth Program has been implemented at three schools thus far. Comments suggest that the program has had a positive effect on student health and digital literacy skills and health-related self-efficacy. In addition, some comments suggest participants have a greater interest in the STEM disciplines and increased motivation to try to maintain their health.