1. • HEART ATTACK
• WOMENS’ HEARTS
• STROKE
• MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY
Elisabeth Marrapodi, Library Director, TRMC

2. WHAT IS HEALTH LITERACY AND WHY
IS IT IMPORTANT?
 THE BASIC DEFINITION OF HEALTH LITERACY:
 THE ABILTY TO READ, UNDERSTAND AND ACT ON
HEALTH INFORMATION.
 OVER 90 MILLION AMERICAN ADULTS HAVE
DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING AND USING HEALTH
INFORMATION.
 Some examples:
 Understanding directions on a prescription bottle
 Communicating with your doctor
 Understanding your diagnosis and treatment plans
 Managing a chronic illness …and more

3. QUICK HEALTH FACTS:
 EVERY 20 SECONDS SOMEONE HAS A HEART ATTACK
 At least 250,000 people die of a heart attack before reaching
the hospital
 EVERY 40 SECONDS SOMEONE HAS A STROKE
 Stroke is the 3rd leading cause of death in the U.S.
 TOO MANY PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW THE SIGNS AND
SYMPTOMS OR WILL IGNORE THEM!
HOW MANY SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS DO YOU KNOW?

4. Would you know if you were having a heart
attack or stroke?
 Only 44% of Americans  Early recognition of signs
know all 5 symptoms of a and symptoms can make
stroke the difference between life
 Only 38% know to call 911 and death of you or a loved
if they think they are one!
having a stroke or if
someone else is
 In one survey of 1,200
people only 1/3 knew
shortness of breath could
be a symptom of a heart
attack

5. TRINITAS ONLINE GAMES CAN HELP YOU LEARN
ABOUT HEALTH TOPICS!
 To date over 1500 people around the world have played our
online games about heart attack, stroke, womens’ heart
health and medical terminology!
 About the online games:
 easy true/false questions created by the Trinitas Librarian with a
Nursing Advisory Team from Cardiology, Neurology & Education
 accessible on the Trinitas Library website or TRMC main visitor
website
 in English and Spanish
 anonymous, free and can be played at your own pace in the privacy
of your own home 24/7
 Plus additional information and videos

6. TRMC LIBRARY GAME BOX
www.trinitashospital.org/medical_library.htm
www.trinitashospital.org

7. Or you can play our health games
with an avatar in the virtual world
of
Second Life! Its free!
www.secondlife.com
Infolit iSchool surl:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/infolit%20iSc
hool/41/33/22
Our virtual health games at Infolit ischool
in Second Life

8. What people are saying about the health e-games
learned something new about Survey Question:
heart attack Will you use this information for
Library website: 64% future health care decisions?
Second Life: 53%
learned something new about  Library’s website players:
stroke  Yes = 79%
Library website: 61%
Second Life: 58%
 Second Life players:
learned new medical terms  Yes = 92%
Library website: 73%
Second Life: 79%

9. Recognized by the Medical Library Association Hospital
Sections Award in Research 2010
Partially funded by NNLM/MAR Small Projects Grant 2010-
2011