Don't forget to check out Salem
Health, online health information available to
anyone with a Pottsville Library card! Use these sites carefully,
and always consult with a medical professional before beginning any new
treatments.
AMA
Adolescent Health -- this site provides information on health issues like
bullying and violence, tobacco use, and mental health for teens
Best
Hospitals in America -- rankings are published by US News and World
Report, and list the top 50 hospitals for 17 different specialties, from
cancer to urology
familydoctor.org
-- "Health information for the whole family from the American Academy of
Family Physicians;" includes alternative medicine, family doctor websites,
drug information, and a dictionary
GirlsHealth.gov
-- a great new site just for girls, with information about nutrition, fitness,
emotions, bullying, and much more!
Go Ask Alice! -- an
excellent question-and-answer service provided by the Health Education
Program of the Columbia University Health Service for every age group; check out the answers
to questions already asked, or ask your own
Health
and Age Center -- aging-related health information from Boomerang
Pharmaceutical Communications, with an emphasis on accuracy, credibility, and
reliability.
Healthfinder.gov
-- interactive tools, an encyclopedia, and a variety of services from the Department of Health and Human Services
HealthSquare
-- health and prescription drug reference for women and their families; includes
a guide to prescription drugs and an encyclopedia of medicine
Injury Prevention
-- a helpful site from the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, this resource
helps kids understand what to do to be safe when they're playing, and provides
helpful tips for parents. Check out the Home
Safety Handbook, written for parents of newborns through preschool
age children.
Mayo Clinic: information on diseases, alternative medicine treatments, a
drug index for prescription and over-the-counter drugs, and more, all from
a reliable source
Medlineplus
-- once just a large journal index, this site now provides recent health-related
news, a free medical encyclopedia and dictionary, and information about
prescription drugs and other supplements.
Medscape -- "The Web's largest
collection of free, full-text clinical medicine articles" plus daily news
and other information, tailored for health professionals but usable by
the general public; registration is required, but is free
WomensHealth.gov -- from the Office on Women's Health, Dept.
of Health and Human Services
The
Nature of Things: A Look at Pain -- The "about pain" section discusses
why we feel pain, different types of pain, and how pain is treated; while
the "living with pain" features an interview with a woman who suffers from
fibromyalgia. Note that the interviews require both video and sound
capabilities on your computer.
WebMD -- This site
has all kinds of A-Z guides, resource centers, and a symptom checker; it also
suggests when you should see your doctor or head straight to the emergency room.
The Cool Spot
-- Aimed at young teens and preteens, this interactive site looks at some of the
myths and facts about alcohol, as well as how to say "no" to peer
pressure.
National Clearinghouse
for Alcohol and Drug Information -- this federal government site provides
lots of fact sheets and other information about alcohol and drugs in the family,
schools, workplace, and community. You can view the publications for free
on the site, or order free printed copies.
QuitNet --
members track how many years of their life and how much money they have saved by
quitting cigarettes; registration gives members access to 24/7 support, quit
tips, stat calculators, Quit Buddies, and more.
Web of
Addictions -- information about alcohol and other drug additions
Herbal
Safety -- What over-the-counter medications should you NOT take with
ginkgo? Are there medicinal uses for pumpkin seeds? Find the answers
to these questions from an objective site devoted to herbal medicine.
Medicinal
and Culinary herbFAQs -- frequently asked questions about herbs [Note
that the site now has a personal name, but still has the same information it had
before. -- 11/28/06]
National Center
for Complementary and Alternative Medicine -- part of the National
Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services; created
to support "rigorous research" in complementary and alternative medicine
Cancer
American Cancer Society -- this
site includes statistical information as well as complementary and alternative
methods of treating cancer, among other subjects
Clinical Trials for cancer
research -- from
the National Cancer Institute, current information about cancer research
studies
Mesothelioma Center -- this site
provides an overview of mesothelioma (asbestos cancer), causes, treatments, and
prevention, as well as directories of treatment centers, doctors, and abatement
companies. Assistance is given on the site to veterans and those applying
for Social Security disability benefits related to mesothelioma.
Oncolink -- created by University of Pennsylvania
Cancer Center, this was the web's first quality cancer resource and it's still
one of the best; a large collection of information on types of cancer, treatments,
coping, causes, and more.
Understanding Cancer
-- this site uses slide show tutorials to explain cancer and cancer-related
subjects, in everyday English. Tutorials can also be downloaded as Power
Point files or PDF files.
Consumer Education
The Cochrane Collaboration --
This site features articles concerning "evidence-based health
care", aimed at both the public and practioners.
Health News Review --
"Grades for Health News Reporting" Did the media get a
health story right, or are you only hearing part of what you need to
know? Start on this site to find out what the experts think about what
the media tells us.
PubMed --
News stories often mention "a recently published study" when
announcing a medical discovery. Many of those studies can be found
here; read them for yourself!
Quackwatch:
"Your Guide to Quackery, Health Fraud, and Intelligent Decisions" --
run by a retired doctor, this site focuses on non-traditional medicine and helps
you identify the warning signs of hoaxes and fraud. For more information
about who's behind the site, check out the "Who
Funds Quackwatch?" and "Frequently
Asked Questions" pages.
Tufts
Health Letter -- Published by the Friedman School of Nutrition Science
and Policy, this newsletter tries to clear up confusion about eating,
nutrition, exercise, and more. Many of the articles can be read online
for free.
Wellness
Letter -- With a focus on food, testing, exercise and more, this site
offers one free article each month from the newsletter, published by UC
Berkeley.
AIDSinfo -- information from the US
Dept. of Health and Human Services, including treatments, clinical trials,
prescription drugs, and general educational materials
AIDSmap -- information about drug
regimes and treatments, symptoms, HIV/AIDS news, and other important (and
difficult to find!) information
Learn About STDs/STIs -- American Social Health Association; the mission is to "stop sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and their
harmful consequences to individuals, families, and communities."
Tips for Teens: The Truth
About AIDS -- from the US Dept. of Health and Human Services and the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, this site offers brief
but important facts, signs to watch for, and access to a variety of publications
to help teens make better choices
American Foundation for Suicide
Prevention -- Check out this site for facts about suicide, warning signs,
and what you can do to prevent suicide. You can also find information
about national and local events, suicide research, and more.
Help for Depression -- created by
Healthline Networks, this site discusses a wide variety of options and
combinations to combat depression
Internet Mental Health --
"a free encyclopedia of mental health information" covering disorders,
treatment and research
Mental Help Net -- The
"Upfront" section features daily blog entries related to aspects of
mental health and wellness and provides links to related articles in the
database; while the "Featured Topics" section features basic
information and a variety of resources related to broader areas (like alcohol
addiction, ADHD, and stress management).
National Institute of Mental Health --
find useful information under the "Health & Outreach" section,
including clinical trials that are currently seeking participants
Psych Central -- an "independent
mental health network, providing reliable, trusted information and self-help
support communities", covering topics like eating disorders, parenting,
sleep problems, and quitting smoking.
SA\VE -- Suicide Awareness \ Voices
of Education; the mission of SA\VE is "to educate about suicide and to
speak for suicide survivors."
CDC Overweight and Obesity --
great definitions, data, and other resources for this difficult topic
Office
of Dietary Supplements -- this office of the National Institutes of
Health can help you make sense of vitamins, minerals, and botanical
supplements. How many IU of Vitamin D equals a microgram? Who
regulates supplements? What do I need to know about taking
supplements?
Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division
of School Health -- information for parents and students about health
programs at public schools
Pennsylvania
Dietetic Association -- use this page to find a Nutrition Professional, or
check out the "Resource Center" for child, teen, and general nutrition
information
What's
In The Foods You Eat? -- Ever wonder how much potassium is in a banana, or
how much saturated fat and sodium you get in an entire box of mac and
cheese? Use this online tool from the US Department of Agriculture to find
out what you are eating!
Websites covering other specific diseases and conditions will be added
as we identify them.
ACLS Online Library: Learning
CPR -- discussion of CPR techniques for health professionals and everyone
else, plus a good collection of links to other information about CPR like its
history, techniques, and why it's important for everyone to know.
American Diabetes Association
-- find recipes, exercise ideas, updates on the latest research, plus sections
just for teens and younger kids.
American Pain Foundation --
information for people who suffer from chronic pain. Take a look at the
"Pain Information Library" for help understanding chronic pain and what can be done about
it, or use the site to find an online support group or local pain management
specialist.
Genetic and Rare Conditions Support Groups and Information Page,
from the University of Kansas Medical Center
Internet Stroke Center --
stroke information for patients, families and health professionals, as
well as a directory of stroke trials; from Washington University in St. Louis
Learn CPR: You Can Do It!
-- this site shows a simplified form of CPR, including video demonstrations, for
adults, children, and even pets.
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Diseases
and Conditions Index -- find information for everything from aneurysms to
varicose veins, from sleep apnea to asthma, and other related diseases.
Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs
-- this free site gives you information about safe and cost-effective options
for some commonly used prescription drugs, which you can use when talking with
your doctor. Drug reports are currently available for NSAIDs, statins,
medications for asthma and ADHD, and many others.
FDA's CDER (Center for Drug Evaluation
and Research) -- information about the latest drug approvals, as well as drug
safety guides, shortages, public health advisories, and more to help keep you
safe and healthy.
RxList: The Internet Drug Index -- information
about drugs and supplements such as dosage and side effects, plus a pill
identifier tool.
RXmed:
Prescribing Information -- the same drug information you'd find in
the Physician's Desk Reference book or get from your pharmacist
Stress
APA Help Center: Health
& Emotional Wellness -- This site from the American Psychological
Association provides several articles on identifying and dealing with stress, as
well as a number of other mental health issues.
National Center for Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder -- Part of the Veterans Administration, this organization provides
fact sheets and other resources, both generally and for specific events such as
the Iraq war and recent natural disasters.
