Human Information Interaction

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Background and Aim: This research aims to explore relation between health literacy and information literacy of post-graduate students in Ferdowsi university of Mashhad.

Method: This research is descriptive-correlational survey research. Population included post-graduate students of Ferdowsi university of Mashhad that 368 of them were selected via stratified sampling. Two Questionnaires were used for data collection. First one was Health Literacy for Iranian Adults (HELIA) that was a reliable and valid instrument for measuring health literacy in Iran and include the following constructs: ability to read, ability and skills to access, understand, and appraise health information, make decisions, and practice in order to maintain or improve health. The second one was designed by the researchers in order to measure information literacy skills including four dimensions: identifying information needs, locating, organizing, and evaluating information.

Results: Finding showed that 25% of students have inadequate health literacy, 38.31% of them have moderate literacy and others have normal high-quality health literacy. Also, their information literacy level is higher than average. Also the results show significant and positive correlation between information literacy and health literacy. Level of health literacy in female students is higher than males and level of this variable in Ph. D. Students is more than Master students. Findings showed that post graduate students search the internet and communicate with friends in order to acquire health information.

Conclusion: Since, Impact of Information literacy on information skills from the access to evaluation and use of information. So, Enhancement of information literacy skills in students could improve their health literacy. Accordingly, libraries can increase level of students’ health literacy by learning information literacy skills. Some libraries’ programs are noticed in order to enhance level of students’ health literacy and information literacy

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Background and Aim: This study aims to explore the concept of information culture, and survey its status among the faculty members of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad.

Method: This research is applied research that conducted via survey research. Population included faculty members of Ferdowsi university of Mashhad that 250 of them were selected via random sampling. A questionnaire based on (Choo et al., 2008) model were used for data collection. This questionnaire including six dimensions: information integrity, information formality, information control, information transparency, information sharing, and proactive use of information. Before collecting data, validity and reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed.

Results: The results showed that, from the perspective of faculty members of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, information culture and its dimensions are not desirable at the university. Among the dimensions of information culture information sharing has highest average and information transparency has the lowest average. Also the results show information culture pattern of the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad is Relationship-Based Culture. The relationship between demographic variables and information culture also showed that there is a significant relationship between gender and field of study with some dimensions of information culture.

Conclusion: survey the information culture as an empowerment variable that influence information behaviors and programs in organizations is essential, Because of the important role of information in organizations. Moreover, information culture is a new subject that addressing the new research area for further research, especially in the field of knowledge and information science. 

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Background and Aim: the field of indigenous medicine is one of the indigenous knowledge fields. The tendency of native people to use indigenous medicine for diagnosis and treatment of diseases, knowledge management of indigenous medicine in this district, have doubled the importance of paying attention to this topic. In this way, the present research intends to propose an appropriate model for knowledge management of indigenous knowledge, through identifying items of indigenous knowledge, Emphasizing on indigenous medicine, in Makran district.
Methods: the type of present research is applied and the Qualitative methods have been used in this study. The Statistical population of this research involved of experts and pundits that are familiar with indigenous knowledge in Makran district. The sample members were selected with purposeful sampling method. Semi-structured interview was used for Data Collection and the process of conducting interviews was continued with 12 persons of sample members to reach the theoretical saturation after interview. Thematic Analysis method is used for analysis, interpretation and coding of data.
Results: Based on the analysis of qualitative data, 175 initial codes were obtained. 55 codes represent different fields of indigenous knowledge which were categorized in 5 sub-items of "handicrafts", "fishing", "animal husbandry", "agriculture" and "indigenous medicine" and 2 key items of "non-medical" and "medical knowledge". 78 codes represent the different fields of indigenous medicine knowledge which were categorized in 6 sub-items of "sphygmology", "face color", "urine and stool color", "drug therapy", "prayer therapy", "surgery and traditional  treatments " and 2 key items of "Traditional diagnosis" and "traditional medicine". Finally, 42 initial codes related to the items of the knowledge management model of indigenous medicine were categorized in 14 sub-items and 5 key items of "knowledge creation", "Knowledge acquisition”, "knowledge sharing and development", "knowledge transfer", "knowledge recording", which show the dimension of knowledge management model of indigenous medicine in Makran district.   
Conclusion: Due to the vast capacity of Makran district in the field of indigenous medicine knowledge, the present research provides a basis for the more efficient management of this knowledge through identifying different items of this knowledge and proposing a model for its management. In addition, this research can be the basis for further investigations in this field.