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Health Information Resources

A guide for onlline sources to the latest in health information for consumers and professionals.

Welcome

Welcome to Central Community College's library guide to online health information for consumers and professionals. This guide is intended to provide you with important and reliable health information along with guidelines for evaluating health/medical information.

 

This guide is not a substitute for visiting your healthcare provider about health concerns or medical conditions.

Additional Information

Millions of consumers get health information from magazines, TV or the Internet. Some of the information is reliable and up to date; some is not. How can you tell the good from the bad?

First, consider the source. If you use the Web, look for an "about us" page. Check to see who runs the site: Is it a branch of the government, a university, a health organization, a hospital or a business? Focus on quality. Does the site have an editorial board? Is the information reviewed before it is posted? Be skeptical. Things that sound too good to be true often are. You want current, unbiased information based on research.

  • Don't use a regular Google Search, instead use one of the databases or resources on this site. 
  • Avoid .com websites because they could be misleading in favor of profit.
  • Check an author's credentials to determine whether they are a health professional associated with a legitimate institution. 
  • Look for publication dates and decide whether the information updated. 

U.S. National Library of Medicine

Health literacy refers to how well a person can get the health information and services that they need, and how well they understand them. It is also about using them to make good health decisions. It involves differences that people have in areas such as

  • Access to information that they can understand
  • Skills, such as finding that information, communicating with health care providers, living a healthy lifestyle, and managing a disease
  • Knowledge of medical words, and of how their health care system works
  • Abilities, such as physical or mental limitations
  • Personal factors, such as age, education, language abilities, and culture

More than 90 million adults in the United States have low health literacy. It affects their ability to make health decisions. This can harm their health. They may have trouble managing chronic diseases, and leading a healthy lifestyle. They may go to the hospital more often, and have poorer health overall.

MedlinePlus

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