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Free online health resources 11 30-12

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This document provides an overview of free authoritative health websites. It begins by noting that 80% of internet users look online for health information. It then summarizes several Pew Internet reports on trends in online health information seeking. The document proceeds to discuss important criteria for evaluating health websites, such as who runs the site and funds it, the qualifications of authors, the intended audience, timeliness of information, and potential biases. It concludes by recommending several high-quality health websites run by the National Library of Medicine and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that meet strict evaluation criteria. These include MedlinePlus, ToxTown, and clinicaltrials.gov.

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Free Authoritative Health Websites Tampa Bay Library Consortium Emily Vardell, MLS November 30, 2012 emily.vardell@gmail.com http://www.delicious.com/FLAHealthLinks
Searching for Health Info Online 80% of Internet users, or 59% of U.S. adults, look online for health information. Based on a September 2010 survey, but it is a remarkably stable trend dating back to 2002. 31% of cell phone owners have used their phone to look up health or medical information (it was only 17% one year ago). Of particular interest to those interested in trends related to young people, Latinos, and African Americans, since these groups are significantly more likely to gather information this way. http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Mobile-Health.aspx Thanks to Alicia Ellison for the tip!
Searching for Health Info Online The most commonly- researched topics are: specific diseases or conditions treatments or procedures doctors or other health professionals The typical search for health information is on behalf of someone else -- information access by proxy. http://www.pewinternet.org/Commentary/2011/November/Pew-Internet-Health.aspx
What is at stake? Anyone can put anything up on the Internet and they DO! The quality of health information can literally be a matter of life and death.
The Reference Interview when it comes to talking about health information Be empathetic Be an active listener Use open ended questions Respect privacy/confidentiality Be prepared for emotions Do not be afraid to refer the patron back to his/her health care provider Do not interpret medical information Use a disclaimer or caution statement Beyond an Apple a Day CE Course: http://nnlm.gov/training/consumer/apple/
Evaluating Health Info Websites http://facweb.northseattle.edu/eappel/Hayek/
SPAT http://www.spat.pitt.edu/
Who runs and pays for the Site? It takes money to run a website. It should be obvious who is responsible for the site. Where does the site get its funding? Does it sell advertising? Is it sponsored by a drug company or someone trying to sell a product?
Who runs and pays for the Site? Look at the URL. Helps you find the site again. Helps you know who is responsible for the site.
Who runs and pays for the Site? Web addresses can indicate the sites purpose: .gov government .edu education .org noncommercial organization .com commercial Look at advertisements. http://1918.pandemicflu.gov/pics/posters/drug_ad.jpg
Who is Publisher of the content? Who is the publisher/author? Hint: Look for the Contact Us section. What is the publishers authority? Are the authors qualified in the topics field? Can you find information about their credentials? Is the author a health professional? If not, do they refer to research or a health professional?
Who is Publisher of the content? Potential for bias? Opinion or fact? Research/ references to back it up?
Who is the intended Audience? Look at the words- Are they easy to understand? Are they geared towards a particular group? Think of the ads during the evening news, a sports game, the Oscars, etc.
What is the Timeliness of the info? Information that is outdated can be dangerous! Look for publication dates of particular articles or at the bottom of the website. Broken links may indicate the page is not regularly updated.
Asking for Personal Information Does the website ask for information about you? Especially information about your health? Why are they asking? What will they do with the information?
Watch Out for Medical Quackery Does the information seem to good to be true? Is the information written in language that is too difficult to understand? Does the site or information promise miraculous results? The website should be easy to understand and clear. If you are unsure, check the information with another site.
Questions so far Up Next: Recommended Websites!
http://medlineplus.gov/
MedlinePlus Searches
http://medlineplus.gov/
Health Topics in MedlinePlus
Population Groups
Or Search!
MedlinePlus Diabetes Page
MedlinePlus Diabetes Page Continued
掘壊沿温単看鉛?
MedlinePlus en Espa単ol http://medlineplus.gov/spanish/ OR http://medlineplus.gov/salud/
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/training/trainers.html
MedlinePlus Magazine In English and Spanish Subscribe for Free! Libraries may order multiple copies!
http://nihseniorhealth.gov/
ToxMystery http://toxmystery.nlm.nih.gov/
Tox Town http://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/
Disaster Information Management Research Center (DIMRC) http://disaster.nlm.nih.gov/
Pages on Disaster Types
Hurricanes Page http://disaster.nlm.nih.gov/enviro/hurricane.html
Radiation Emergency Medical Management (REMM) http://www.remm.nlm.gov/
Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders (WISER) http://wiser.nlm.nih.gov/
AIDSinfo http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/
ClinicalTrials.gov http://clinicaltrials.gov/
Household Products Database http://hpd.nlm.nih.gov/
LactMed http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?LACT
TOXMAP http://toxmap.nlm.nih.gov/
Dietary Supplements Labels Database http://dietarysupplements.nlm.nih.gov/
Pillbox (beta) http://pillbox.nlm.nih.gov/
NLM Databases http://www.nlm.nih.gov/databases/
Florida Electronic Library: Health http://www.flelibrary.org
Health Reference Center
Diabetes
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) http://www.cdc.gov/
FastStats http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/
FastStats: Diabetes
Thank you! Questions? Links: http://www.delicious.com/FLAHealthLinks Presentation: http://www.slideshare.net/evardell/free- online-health-resources-11-3012-15414352

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Free online health resources 11 30-12

Editor's Notes

  • #9: The source of funding can affect what content is presented, how the content is presented, and what the site owners want to accomplish on the site.
  • #11: If a health website is trying to sell dietary supplements, herbs or homeopathic products don't use that site for a source of information.
  • #12: Writers credentials matter. Don't take medical advice from websites such as eHow who rely on a cast of thousands to publish advice with few or no credentials.
  • #13: Be skeptical of testimonials and rely on a thorough review of all the evidence, not opinion. Look for biases. Don't fall for advice that is one sided or lacking entirely
  • #15: Look for dates on the website. If there are no dates , be cautious.Be wary of MEDICAL information THAT IS more than 2 years old
  • #16: Check the privacy policy of a health website. If the site shares information, your information is not private. Be very careful of sites whose policy says something like "We share information with companies that can provide you with useful products
  • #17: Beware of claims that one remedy will cure a variety of illnesses, that it is a "breakthrough," or that it relies on a "secret ingredient."Use caution if the site uses a sensational writing style (lots of exclamation points, for example.)You should always verify such claims on a reputable site. Quackwatch.org is one site which criticized many forms of alternative medicine.