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Consumer Health: Resources for Patients
Online Resources
Print Resources in the Biomedical Library
What is Health Literacy?
In 2000, the United States launched a campaign called "Healthy People 2010." This campaign identified areas of concern in the health infrastructure of the United States and is providing services and resources to help improve the health of all Americans by 2010. Health literacy was identified as one of the key areas for improvement. Health literacy is more than being able to read a brochure provided by your doctor, nurse, or dentist. It includes understanding the information you read or hear from your doctor, and being able to use past experiences and information to make informed decisions about future health care. The materials listed in this subject guide will help you gain more information about your health care options.
Online Resources
- About Herbs, Botanicals & Other Products
The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center provides information about herbs, supplements, and botanical preparations. Search by common or scientific name to locate a list of uses, warnings, common side effects, interactions between herbs and prescription medicines, and a summary of research concerning the herb or supplement.
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) research helps consumers and patients get and use objective, evidence-based information on how to choose health plans, doctors, or hospitals. In addition, AHRQ can help patients and their families play an active role in their health care and reduce the likelihood that they will be subject to a medical error. AHRQ's goal is to help people become better informed consumers and to be partners in their own care.
- AIDS.gov
This portal site pulls together information and links concerning the federal government's response to HIV and AIDS. It includes news, basic information, prevention & education, treatment & care, funding opportunities, agencies & programs, current research, and outcomes of prior research.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is an agency of the Public Health Service within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This site includes information about diseases & conditions, health risks, prevention guidelines, travelers' health, and emergency preparedness & response.
- FamilyDoctor.org
This site provides general information on many health topics, and prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Its "Smart Patient Guide" provides information on understanding health insurance and medical bills, as well as tips for talking to your doctor. The American Academy of Family Physicians reviews this site's content to ensure that it is accurate and up-to-date.
- Healthfinder
A service of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the general public, Healthfinder compiles health information from credible sources including government agencies, educational institutions, and non-profit and professional organizations. It includes health news, consumer guides, a drug database, and library.
- KidsHealth
This project of the non-profit Nemours Foundation is split into three distinct sites; one for parents, one for kids, and one for teens. The parents' site includes general information on raising healthy kids, and features full-color, ready-to-print checklists for dealing with emergencies. The kid's site explains common injuries and illnesses in simple language, and also includes a "health problems of grown-ups" section which explains illnesses like Parkinson's Disease and stroke in an age-appropriate way. The teen site includes healthy recipes and provides information on mental and physical health, and school and jobs. Most content is available in Spanish and English.
- Mayo Clinic
Locate information about managing medical conditions, investigate treatment options, and complete an interactive self-assessment to determine your susceptibility to a medical condition. This site includes videos and slide shows about health conditions and medical procedures, from exercises for osteoporosis to coronary angioplasty. In the "Ask a Specialist" section, medical professionals answer questions from the public on a variety of health topics.
- MedlinePlus
MedlinePlus is a service of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This site is the first place to go with any consumer health related question. It pulls together quality health information from a variety of current, reviewed, reliable and accurate sites. This resource includes over 750 health topics, an illustrated medical encyclopedia, dictionary, directories, health news, interactive tutorials, drug and supplement information, and much more.
- National Cancer Institute
A division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the NCI includes all aspects of information about cancer: clinical trials for new treatments and outcomes of previous trials, research news, and a drug dictionary.
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) sponsors this portal site which gathers together a range of information on alternative medicine, including a glossary of alternative medicine and guidelines for selecting a practitioner. You can search by disease or condition to locate the most current treatments, or search for herb names to find general information and cautions for their use.
- National Institute on Aging
The National Institute on Aging's (NIA) mission is to extend the active years of life by improving the health and well-being of older Americans through sponsoring research and disseminating relevant health information. Most NIA publications can be downloaded from the website or ordered free of charge.
- National Library of Medicine
The National Library of Medicine (NLM) is the world's largest medical library. The NLM website includes a special section of resources especially for the public in addition to the complete list of NLM databases and web resources.
- NIHSeniorHealth
This site was developed by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the National Library of Medicine (NLM), both part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It features authoritative and up-to-date information on health topics of interest for older adults. NIHSeniorHealth also includes a comprehensive list of short videos in the site index. The web site can be customized with adjustable text size and contrast and has an option to have the page read aloud.
- OncoLink
OncoLink, maintained by the Abramson Center at the University of Pennsylvania, provides cancer-related information. It includes information on specific types of cancer, treatments, and research news. One unique aspect of this site is the Journal Scans section of the library, where important research articles are summarized and put into everyday language by practicing physicians.
Print Resources in the Biomedical Library
All items listed below are located in the core reference collection in the Biomedical Library, unless noted.
- AIDS Sourcebook.
Call Number: WC 503 A2895 2003
- Alternative Medicine Sourcebook.
Call Number: WB 890 A465 1999
- Alternative Medicine Handbook.
Call Number: WB 39 C345a 1998
- Alzheimer's Sourcebook.
Call Number: WT 155 A47888 1999
- American Medical Association Family Medical Guide.
Call Number: WB 120 A512 2004
- Arthritis Sourcebook.
Call Number: WE 5 A787 1999
- Asthma Sourcebook.
Call Number: WF 39 A853 2000
- Cancer Sourcebook for Women.
Call Number: WP 870 C217 2002
- Consumer's Guide to Free Medical Information by Phone and by Mail.
Call Number: WB 22 AA1 W7c 1993
- Disabilities Sourcebook.
Call Number: HV 1553 D610 2000
- Everyone's Guide to Cancer Therapy.
Call Number: QZ 201 D665e 1997
- Griffith's Instructions for Patients.
Call Number: WB 18.2 M824g 2005
- Handbook for Mortals: Guidance for People Facing Serious Illness.
Call Number: WB 310 H236 1999
Location: Biomedical Library Stacks
- Making Informed Medical Decisions: Where to Look and How to Use What You Find.
Call Number: W 85 O85m 2000
Location: Biomedical Library Stacks
- Mayo Clinic Family Health Book.
Call Number: WB 120 M473 2003
- The Medical Advisor: the Complete Guide to Alternative & Conventional Treatments.
Call Number: WB 120 M489 2000
- Merck Manual of Medical Information.
Call Number: WB 130 M555 2003
- New Wellness Encyclopedia.
Call Number: QT 180 N532 1995
- Pain Sourcebook.
Call Number: WL 704 P142 1998
- Patient's Guide to Medical Tests.
Call Number: WB 141 S454p 2002
- PDR Family Guide to Prescription Drugs.
Call Number: QV 772 P348 1998
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases Sourcebook.
Call Number: WC 5 S518 2006
- Thyroid Disorders Sourcebook.
Call Number: WK 39 T549 2005
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