INFORMATION-SEEKING AND INFORMATION NEEDS OF LOW-INCOME AFRICAN-AMERICAN HOUSEHOLDS - WYNNEWOOD HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECT

Citation
A. Spink et al., INFORMATION-SEEKING AND INFORMATION NEEDS OF LOW-INCOME AFRICAN-AMERICAN HOUSEHOLDS - WYNNEWOOD HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECT, Proceedings of the ASIS annual meeting, 34, 1997, pp. 271-279
Citations number
11
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Information Science & Library Science","Computer Science Information Systems","Computer Science Information Systems
ISSN journal
0044-7870
Volume
34
Year of publication
1997
Pages
271 - 279
Database
ISI
SICI code
0044-7870(1997)34:<271:IAINOL>2.0.ZU;2-0
Abstract
This paper reports findings from a project investigating the informati on seeking and information needs of low income African-American househ olds at the Parks at Wynnewood in Dallas, Texas. Three hundred Wynnewo od households were surveyed during April-May 1996 regarding their hous ehold situation and their need for community and information services. Findings are reported regarding their information seeking behavior, p articularly with regard to employment, health, news and security issue s. Residents' information seeking focused on family and neighbors, wit h lower use of external channels, except for health information. The i nitial study is being extended through 50 in-depth interviews with vol unteer Wynnewood households. The results of the interviews will be qua litatively analyzed in conjunction with the survey results. Findings f rom the study will be important, as they constitute the largest study ever conducted on the information needs, gatekeeping roles, and inform ation seeking patterns of low income African-American households. The study will provide a valuable data set on the lifestyle and informatio n behaviors of African-American households and guide the development o f an information resource center and information literacy program for Wynnewood Project residents. The overall findings will also be importa nt for the development of theoretical models of information seeking an d use.