Presenter(s)
Amelia Beyer, James Durst, Kelly Freymiller, Julia Kunz, Ashia Meister, Chloe Sand, Josephine Sandquist, and Jaci Winchell
Abstract
Introduction: This project describes the development and implementation of a book club focused on population health topics to promote learning, discussion, and community engagement. A public library is a safe space to host book club meetings due to its non-intimidating environment. All members of the community are welcome to participate. A book club was hosted on campus for members of the nursing cohort to attend. With a focus on public health, these book clubs build awareness, critical thinking, and community engagement around population health issues. Purpose: The promotion of a book club can improve health literacy in the community by building awareness in the community on risk factors, understanding of health systems, ability to evaluate health information, and knowledge of prevention strategies. A library is considered a third space, which includes places that aren't home, work, or school. Third spaces give people a safe, neutral place to go, as well as foster social connections in the community. Public health book clubs can include discussing certain social or economic topics from the book in community groups and utilizing critical thinking and preventing misinformation on these topics. Students engage book club participants to consider ways that the topics have or could affect their lives. Ideally, student leaders can educate and inform participants on chronic health conditions and assess ways we can help them improve and maintain their symptoms using topics from the chosen book. Results: Other than the group that hosted the book club, there were additional participants that joined on different days over the weeks that it took place. There was one person who joined almost every week, with a few other people that joined just once. During each book club, thought-provoking questions were asked based on the chapter that was being discussed that week. These questions produced meaningful conversations for the group that surrounded public health issues such as food insecurity, poverty, drug addiction, housing instability, mental illness, the foster system, and inequities in social services.
College
College of Nursing & Health Sciences
Department
Nursing
Campus
Winona
First Advisor/Mentor
Autumn Cole
Location
Kryzsko Great River Ballroom, Winona, Minnesota; United States
Start Date
4-23-2026 9:00 AM
End Date
4-23-2026 10:00 AM
Presentation Type
Poster Session
Format of Presentation or Performance
In-Person
Session
1a=9am-10am
Poster Number
19
Public Health Book Club
Kryzsko Great River Ballroom, Winona, Minnesota; United States
Introduction: This project describes the development and implementation of a book club focused on population health topics to promote learning, discussion, and community engagement. A public library is a safe space to host book club meetings due to its non-intimidating environment. All members of the community are welcome to participate. A book club was hosted on campus for members of the nursing cohort to attend. With a focus on public health, these book clubs build awareness, critical thinking, and community engagement around population health issues. Purpose: The promotion of a book club can improve health literacy in the community by building awareness in the community on risk factors, understanding of health systems, ability to evaluate health information, and knowledge of prevention strategies. A library is considered a third space, which includes places that aren't home, work, or school. Third spaces give people a safe, neutral place to go, as well as foster social connections in the community. Public health book clubs can include discussing certain social or economic topics from the book in community groups and utilizing critical thinking and preventing misinformation on these topics. Students engage book club participants to consider ways that the topics have or could affect their lives. Ideally, student leaders can educate and inform participants on chronic health conditions and assess ways we can help them improve and maintain their symptoms using topics from the chosen book. Results: Other than the group that hosted the book club, there were additional participants that joined on different days over the weeks that it took place. There was one person who joined almost every week, with a few other people that joined just once. During each book club, thought-provoking questions were asked based on the chapter that was being discussed that week. These questions produced meaningful conversations for the group that surrounded public health issues such as food insecurity, poverty, drug addiction, housing instability, mental illness, the foster system, and inequities in social services.
