Uprooting racial health disparities: Genealogy as a community health library service

Gerido, Lynette Hammond

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/117969 Copy

Description

Title

Uprooting racial health disparities: Genealogy as a community health library service

Author(s)

Gerido, Lynette Hammond

Issue Date

2022-10

Keyword(s)

• Genealogy and family history
• Health disparities
• Breast cancer
• Genetic testing
• Mixed methods
• Archives
• Information use
• Specific populations
• Community engagement
• Social justice

Abstract

Genealogical researchers are the largest user group of archives and library special collections. Although the pursuit of family history is a popular hobby in North America, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that many patients do not collect family health history (FHH). Adequate FHH supports diagnosis and risk assessment for hereditary cancers. Referrals to genetic testing services and counseling reflect glaring racial disparities that are partially attributed to inadequate FHH. Library and information science (LIS) education may offer opportunities to introduce archives curriculum in undergraduate programs and foster synergies with community health outreach program design. Supporting the development of accurate FHH and meeting the genealogy needs of diverse communities is a critical example of the influence LIS education may wield in the reduction of racial disparities in hereditary cancer care.

Series/Report Name or Number

Proceedings of the ALISE Annual Conference, 2022

Type of Resource

text

Language

eng

Handle URL

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/117969

DOI

https://doi.org/10.21900/j.alise.2022.1082

Copyright and License Information

• Copyright 2022 Lynette Hammond Gerido
• This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).

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