Providing Access to Data Sets for Public Health Professionals - ncnmlg

The Kalmanovitz Library and

The Center for Knowledge Management

University of California, San Francisco

January 29, 2004

Providing Access to Data
Sets for Public Health
Professionals: Service
Development, Outreach,
and Use Patterns

Min
-
Lin E. Fang, Information Services Librarian;

Peggy Tahir, Information Services Librarian

The Kalmanovitz Library and the

Center for Knowledge Management

January 29, 2004

Data Sets Access Problem


Public Health professionals at UCSF
campus need access to data sets


Initial project began mid
-
2000


Prior to project, no coordinated program
available to assist them with finding and
accessing data sets

The Kalmanovitz Library and the

Center for Knowledge Management

January 29, 2004

Needs Assessment on Health
Sciences Data Sets


Assessed the availability of data sets and
tools in the library’s collections and on the
UCSF campus


Determined needs of UCSF researchers for
health data sets resources and services


Used Facilitate.com for online survey, a
web
-
based conferencing software

The Kalmanovitz Library and the

Center for Knowledge Management

January 29, 2004

Multi
-
disciplinary Collaboration


Reference Department


Data Management Services


Technical Services


Information Technology

The Kalmanovitz Library and the

Center for Knowledge Management

January 29, 2004

Percentage of respondents
who said services would be helpful
UCSF resource on Web
Non-UCSF on Web
Reference services
Data Mgt Services
Tech help with data
Percentage
100
90
80
70
60
50
95
92
90
88
87
The Kalmanovitz Library and the

Center for Knowledge Management

January 29, 2004

ICPSR Service


Library Administration approved additional
funding for ICPSR membership


Inter
-
university Consortium for Political and
Social Research: a membership
-
based digital
archive of social science data sets at the
University of Michigan


Allows UCSF affiliates to borrow raw data sets
and documentation from ICPSR


Coordinated by Data Management Services


Started September 2001

The Kalmanovitz Library and the

Center for Knowledge Management

January 29, 2004

Evaluation of ICPSR Service


End of Year 1: before ICPSR Direct


Increasing use of service


Well
-
attended orientations


Objection to usage fee for selected
studies


Desire for free and direct access

The Kalmanovitz Library and the

Center for Knowledge Management

January 29, 2004

New ICPSR Direct Service



Library changed terms of ICPSR
subscription to ICPSR Direct


Started in July 2002


Provides direct access to the ICPSR data
holdings for all students, faculty, and
staff at UCSF


Users with authorized IP address from
UCSF may download data from ICPSR,
without going through a local campus
representative

The Kalmanovitz Library and the

Center for Knowledge Management

January 29, 2004

ICPSR Direct: Total Usage


Significant increase in data sets usage
since library moved to ICPSR Direct


Year 1: before ICPSR Direct (9/2001
-
6/2002)


79 data sets downloaded


Year 2: ICPSR Direct (7/2002
-

6/2003)


493 data sets downloaded


Data sets downloads in this period was
more than six times the number of
downloads vs. the period before ICPSR
Direct

The Kalmanovitz Library and the

Center for Knowledge Management

January 29, 2004

ICPSR Direct: Mean Usage


Comparison with similar sized
institutions


Year 1: before ICPSR Direct (9/2001
-
6/2002)


Average use = 176


UCSF use = 23


Year 2: ICPSR Direct (7/2002
-

6/2003)


Average use = 384


UCSF use = 493 data sets
downloaded

The Kalmanovitz Library and the

Center for Knowledge Management

January 29, 2004

Commonly Used Data Sets


National health interview survey


National medical expenditure survey


National hospital discharge survey


National household survey on drug
abuse


Community tracking study household
survey


Alcohol and drug services study


National hospital discharge survey

The Kalmanovitz Library and the

Center for Knowledge Management

January 29, 2004

Outcomes


Reference staff developed web page with
links to data sets resources


Reference staff and Data Manager
regularly collaborate to assist patrons


Reference staff is main contact person
for ICPSR assistance


Reference staff currently collects usage
data for analysis

The Kalmanovitz Library and the

Center for Knowledge Management

January 29, 2004

Conclusions


Patrons want to be able to access data
sets on their own


Even small costs are barriers to access


Project provided excellent venue for
outreach to public health professionals
and other data sets users on campus


Successful collaborative project between
library units


Reference staff gained increased
knowledge of data sets and patron
access issues

The Kalmanovitz Library and the

Center for Knowledge Management

January 29, 2004

Additional Resources


California Office of Statewide Health
Planning and Development’s (OSHPD)
Data Sets


Bureau of Health Professions’ Area
Resources File


Counting California


RAND California