Consumer health information for pet owners

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Consumer Health Information
• Information Science

Background:

• Access to reliable health information is crucial for veterinary consumers.
• Previous studies have highlighted gaps in consumer health resources for human populations.
• The availability and accessibility of veterinary-specific consumer health information remain underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the availability and quality of print and online health information for veterinary consumers.
• To assess the readability of available resources for specific canine and feline conditions.
• To identify challenges in accessing appropriate veterinary health information.

Main Methods:

• Searched WorldCat using 53 Library of Congress subject headings for veterinary consumer health resources.
• Assessed identified print and online resources for authority, comprehensiveness, and validity.
• Conducted an in-depth analysis of information on feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) and canine congestive heart failure (CHF).
• Determined the reading grade level of selected passages using the Flesch-Kincaid formula.

Main Results:

• Identified 187 books and 7 websites relevant to veterinary consumer health.
• Over half of the evaluated passages on FLUTD and CHF were written above an 11th-grade reading level.
• A limited number of high-quality, in-depth resources are available at an appropriate reading level for consumers.

Conclusions:

• There is a significant need for more accessible and understandable veterinary health information.
• Libraries play a vital role in curating and providing access to quality veterinary consumer health resources.
• Future efforts should focus on developing and disseminating resources tailored to consumer reading levels.