HEALTH INFORMATION LITERACY DURING COVID-19 OUTBREAK AMONG DISTANCE LEARNERS OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE

Abstract

The emergence of the novel coronavirus Covid-19 has quickly spread information, misinformation, and fake news across the world. Health literacy contributes to sharing information and responsibilities between health care providers and users, and understanding health communication through sharing. The present research assesses the level of health information literacy among undergraduates and postgraduates distance learners of library and information science in Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University. The questionnaire was designed using the Likert method, and constrained in four sections i.e., Information Searching, Information reliability, Information Sharing and Dissemination in social media, and Information and Health Information Literacy Level. The researcher used Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) 28 to analyze the questionnaire using descriptive analyses. The study finds relation of Library Professionals Age Group and Information Literacy Skill; p-value tested for two variables i.e., information literacy skills and age group, p-value tested for two variables i.e., information literacy skills and age group, the value of p< 0.05 is shown that there is the relationship between library professionals age group and their information literacy skill and alternative hypothesis accepted. Another relation of Library Professional’s Gender and Health information literacy; the value of p< 0.05, shows that the null hypothesis is rejected and there is a relationship between library professionals’ Gender group and their health information skills. Both the research hypotheses are alternative accepted. The result showed a low level of information literacy skill and health information literacy in distance learners of library and information science stream, university-organization and libraries needs to increase the information literacy programs and orientation to aware the distance learners for searching information social media platforms, which develop the skill of searching, assessing, dissemination and sharing information with effectively.