|
|
Consumer Health: Resources for Health Care Professionals
Handouts for Patients in Online Resources
Print Resources in the Biomedical Library
What is Health Literacy?
Health literacy has been identified as a key action point for the Healthy People 2010 initiative, a project created by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In the report Healthy People 2010, health literacy is defined as "the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions." Learn more about health literacy from the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, or by reviewing the books listed below (all are shelved in the Biomedical Library stacks):
- Advancing Health Literacy: A Framework for Understanding and Action.
Call Number: WA 590 Z36a 2006
- Health Literacy: a Prescription to End Confusion.
Call Number: WA 590 H4384 2004
- Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message.
Call Number: WA 590 O18h 2005
- Overcoming Communication Barriers in Patient Education.
Call Number: W 85 O81o 2001
- Promoting Treatment Adherence: a Practical Handbook for Health Care Providers.
Call Number: W 85 P965 2006
- Understanding Health Literacy: Implications for Medicine and Public Health.
Call Number: WA 90 U55 2005 (one copy also in permanent reserves)
As a health care professional, you have a unique opportunity to assist your patients in becoming health literate through direct clinical interactions and by providing secondary sources of information that patients can review at their leisure. These sources of information can help patients adhere to pre- or post-care instructions, understand treatments and prescriptions, and have general information about conditions. The Biomedical Library has created this web page to guide you to the patient care information provided in our online and print resources. You may also want to review the Resources for Patients section of this web page to locate free online resources and print resources for similar information.
Handouts for Patients in Online Resources
- AccessMedicine
This resource includes approximately 100 patient education handouts on broad, common topics such as "macular degeneration." Each handout summarizes basic information about a condition and provides treatment options, and is between 1-3 pages in length. The handouts are drawn from the archive of McGraw-Hill's Postgraduate Medicine: The Practical Peer-Reviewed Journal for Primary Care Physicians.
From the AccessMedicine homepage, click on the "Patient Ed" tab to view the titles of the handouts.
- DynaMed
DynaMed provides clinically-organized summaries for nearly 2,000 health topics. Most topics include a "Patient Information" section which includes links to non-profit associations' patient care handouts, and citations to patient care guidelines that have been published in peer-reviewed journals. DynaMed is available in a PDA application for Palm OS and Microsoft Mobile devices.
From the DynaMed homepage, search or browse for a topic, and look for the "Patient Information" section in the summary.
- MD Consult
This source includes about 10,000 handouts, covering conditions, treatments, and medications. About 30% of handouts are available in Spanish. The handouts are very specialized - there are multiple handouts for most conditions, each with customized information for different populations (e.g., children, teens, adults, or seniors).
From the MD Consult homepage, click on the "Patient Education" tab to view the handouts.
- MedlinePlus
MedlinePlus is a service of the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. It pulls together quality health information from a variety of sources, and includes information on drugs and supplements, an illustrated medical encyclopedia, interactive tutorials, health news, and much more. Most content is available in Spanish. It does not include printable patient care handouts, but it is free: it can be accessed on any computer with a web browser and an Internet connection.
- Micromedex
This resource's patient handouts are in a separate area called "CareNotes." The handouts are extensive and are organized into major categories: General Information; Precare; Inpatient Care; Discharge Care; Aftercare Instructions (ER); and DrugNote. This resource is notable in that it includes dental information, drug infomation, and precare and aftercare instructions for a variety of patient and outpatient procedures, including laboratory tests.
From the Micromedex splash page, select "CareNotes System." Use the search box to search for topics, or use the tabs at the top to browse the available handouts.
- STAT!Ref - Dental
STAT!Ref - Medicine
STAT!Ref - Nursing
All three of our STAT!Ref products provide access to AAFP Conditions A-Z, and USP DI Advice for the Patient. These books provide basic and advanced information about a variety of conditions and treatments. Most chapters are also available in Spanish.
From the STAT!Ref homepage, use the search box to search for your topic, and review your list of results in the left-hand pane. There will be a section titled "Patient Information." Click on this section to review the information available. You can also click on the "Titles" tab at the top of the scree to view chapter titles in the books listed above.
Print Resources in the Biomedical Library
- Economou, Steven G. Instructions for Surgery Patients.
Call Number: WO 500 E19i 1999
Location: Biomedical Library Stacks
- Griffith's Instructions for Patients.
Call Number: WB 18.2 M824g 2005
Location: Biomedical Library Reference Core
|
