Science Reference Guides
Locating Health and Medical Information
Science Reference Guide No. 34
Information about doctors ... Medical
& health information ...Dictionaries,
Abbreviations, Syndromes, Eponyms ... Medical
tests & examinations, Dealing with doctors ... Information
on drugs ... Complementary& alternative
medicine, Wellness, Nutrition ... Hospitals,
HMOs, Nursing homes ... Magazines,
newsletters, ... Guides to navigating the
Internet ... Selected Web sites
The following is a list of sources often used in the Science Reading
Room of the Library of Congress for locating health and medical
information. For books which are frequently updated, the edition
number and year consulted for this guide are in parentheses, so
you might want to check for a later edition. While the call numbers
and location designations given pertain only to the Library of
Congress, these books, journals and newsletters can also be found
in many public or college libraries. Your local librarian can help
you use these titles or may be able to suggest other materials
more appropriate to your request. The sources listed, however,
are not a substitute for consulting with a healthcare provider.
If you are seeking articles in medical journals, the major index
to biomedical literature is MEDLINE, compiled by the National Library
of Medicine (NLM) in Bethesda, Maryland. MEDLINE is available on
the Web as PubMed (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi/).
Be aware that this is primarily an index with abstracts of the
journal articles, although it now includes some links to full text,
as well as to other related resources. A complementary repository
of full text electronic journal literature is available at PubMedCentral
(http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov). Although many journals or selected
volumes are now available online, you may still need to find print
copies in a library or obtain them through a document delivery
service. Your local library may also provide access to additional
health-related electronic resources.
Millions of consumers have turned to the Internet to find information
on health issues. However, caution must be exercised concerning
information provided on both conventional and alternative medicine.
Propaganda, sales pitches and promises of miracle cures, as well
as misleading, inaccurate, outdated and potentially dangerous
information may be encountered. This guide lists Uniform Resource
Locators (URLs) for selected, reliable Web sites, some of which
review and recommend other dependable sites and may link to them.
Many Web sites have passed Health On the Net Foundation’s
rigorous HON Code of Conduct for the provision of authoritative
and reliable medical information (see http://www.hon.ch). The
HON Web site itself is a good source of health information with
a search feature, daily news, and in-depth reports. The American
Accreditation HealthCare Commission also has a program that measures
health Web sites against rigorous standards to assure quality
information to consumers. Its list of accredited sites is at
http://www.urac.org (click on “consumer information”).
Additionally, the Consumer and Patient Health Information Section
(CAPHIS) of the Medical Library Association (MLA) has a committee
which evaluates and selects its Top 100 Web sites for health
consumers (see: http://caphis.mlanet.org/consumer/index.html ). MLA also has an extremely useful “User’s guide
to finding and evaluating health information on the Web” written
by medical librarians at http://www.mlanet.org/resources/userguide.html.
NLM provides a “MedlinePlus guide to healthy web searching” at
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/healthywebsurfing.html
INFORMATION ABOUT DOCTORS
America's top doctors. New
York, Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. (4th ed., 2004)
R712.A1A655 <SciRR Desk>
The Best doctors in America. Aiken, S.C.,
Woodward/White, Inc., 1994. 1131 p.
R712.A1N25 1995 <SciRR Desk>
Other titles in the best doctors series from Woodward/White:
The Best doctors in America. Central region.
R712.A2M53225 1996-1997 <SciRR Desk>
The Best doctors in America. Midwest region.
R712.A2M5323 1996-1997 <SciRR Desk>
The Best doctors in America. Northeast region.
R712.A2N9525 1996-1997 <SciRR Desk>
The Best doctors in America. Pacific region.
R712.A2W383 1996-1997 <SciRR Desk>
The Best doctors in America. Southeast region.
R712.A2S693 1996-1997 <SciRR Desk>
There are no updated editions of these books, but they are
still useful.
Consumers’ guide to top doctors. Washington, Center for
the Study of Services, Consumers’ Checkbook. (2002)
R712.A1C66 <SciRR Desk>
For information: http://www.checkbook.org
Directory of physicians in the United States.
Chicago, AMA Press (American Medical Association). Irregular. (39th
ed., 2005)
R712.A1A6 <SciRR Desk>
URL: http://www.ama-assn.org (click
on "doctorfinder")
The Official ABMS directory of board certified
medical specialists. St. Louis, Elsevier Saunders. Annual.
(37th ed., 2005)
R712.A1O335 <SciRR Desk>
URL: http://www.abms.org (click
on "Who's certified" to check on a physician, also gives general information
on the training and certification of specialists)
Questionable doctors disciplined by states or
the federal government. Washington, Public Citizen Health
Research Group, 2000. 4 v.
RA399.A3Q47 <SciRR Desk>
For information: http://www.citizen.org/hrg
The Washington physicians directory.
Washington, National Directories, Inc. Annual. (2003)
R712.A3W42 <SciRR Desk>
URL: http://www.wpdnetwork.com
TOP OF PAGE
MEDICAL AND HEALTH INFORMATION
Barclay, Donald A., and Deborah D. Halsted.
The Medical Library Association consumer health reference
service handbook. New York, Neal-Schuman Publishers, 2001. 197 p.
RA776.B234 2001 <SciRR>
Cecil textbook of medicine. Edited
by Lee Goldman and Dennis Ausiello. Philadelphia, Saunders.
(22nd ed., 2004)
RC46.C423 <SciRR>
The Complete directory for people with
chronic illness: DCI. Lakeville, CT, Grey House Pub.
Annual. (6th ed., 2003-2004)
RC108.C645 <SciRR>
The Complete directory for people with
disabilities.
Lakeville, CT, Grey House Pub. Annual. (13th ed., 2005)
HV1553.C58 <MRR>
The Complete directory for people with
rare disorders: a comprehensive guide to over 1,000 rare disorders
from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.
Lakeville, Conn., Grey House Pub. Annual. (2002/2003)
RC48.8.C66 <SciRR>
URL: http://www.rarediseases.org
Index or rare diseases; rare disease database; index of organizations;
organizational database.
The Consumer health information source
book.
Edited by Karen Bellenir. Detroit, Mich., Omnigraphics, c1999.
618 p.
RA776.5.C655 1999 <SciRR>
URL: http://www.omnigraphics.com
Omnigraphics has an entire Health Reference Series with
more than 70 titles with health information on a broad range of health topics.
There is also a teen health series and a list of forthcoming books (titles are
regularly updated).
Current medical diagnosis & treatment.
Stamford, CT, Appleton & Lange. Annual. (44th ed., 2005)
RC71.A14 <SciRR>
Encyclopedia of medical organizations and
agencies.
Detroit, GaleResearch. Annual. (14th ed., 2005)
R712.A1E53 <SciRR Desk>
Everything you need to know about medical emergencies.
Springhouse, Penn., Springhouse Corp., c1997. 660 p.
RC87.E83 1997 <SciRR>
Subject-classified information on medical and health-related national and international organizations; state and regional organizations; foundations and other funding organizations; U.S. Federal and State government agencies; research centers; and medical and allied health schools.
First aid manual. Jon R. Krohmer, medical editor.
(American College of Emergency Physicians) New York, DK Pub. (2nd
American ed., 2004)
RC86.8.F565 <SciRR>
Griffith's 5 minute clinical consult.
Baltimore, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Annual. (2005)
RC55.A12 <SciRR>
URL: http://www.5mcc.com
This is a quick medical reference for current diagnosis and treatment.
Handbook for mortals: guidance for people facing
serious illness. Joanne Lynn, Joan Harrold and the Center
to Improve Care of the Dying, George Washington University. New
York, Oxford University Press, 1999. 242 p.
R726.8.H353 1999 <SciRR>
Handbook of diseases. Philadelphia, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
(3rd ed., 2004)
RC55.H265 <SciRR>
Handbook of signs & symptoms. Ambler, PA, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
(3rd ed., 2006)
RC69.H246 <SciRR>
Harrison's principles of internal medicine. Edited
by Dennis Kaspar, and others. New York, McGraw-Hill.
2 v. (16th ed., 2005)
RC46.H333 <SciRR>
The Harvard Medical School family health
guide.
Edited by Anthony L. Komaroff. New York, Free Press. (2005)
RC81.H38 <SciRR>
Online companion: http://health.harvard.edu/fhg
The companion has updates for the family health guide; an emergency & first aid section; and a “your disease risk” assessment resource.
Informed decisions: the complete book of cancer diagnosis, treatment,
and recovery. Edited by Harmon Eyre, and others. Atlanta, American Cancer Society.
(2nd ed., 2002)
RC262.I4985 <SciRR>
More information: http://www.cancer.org
Introduction to reference sources in the health sciences. 4th
ed. Compiled and edited by Jo Anne Boorkman, Jeffrey Huber and
Fred Roper. New York, Neal-Schuman Publishers, c2004. 389 p.
Z6658.I54 2004 <SciRR Desk>
Classic reference work and the premier guide to health science reference sources.
Magill’s medical guide. Medical consultants, Anne Chang,
and others. Pasadena, CA, Salem Press. 4 v. (3rd rev. ed., 2005)
RC41.M34 <SciRR>
Medical encyclopedia with references and index
Medical and health information directory.
Farmington Hills, Mich., Gale Group, 2001. 3 v. Irregular. (17th
ed., 2005)
R118.4.U6 M43 <SciRR Desk>
v.1--medical and health-related organizations, agencies and institutions (national, international, state & regional organizations, foundations, funding, consulting, peer review & medical ethics organizations, hospital management & pharmaceutical companies, Federal & State government agencies, Federal domestic assistance programs, university & other nonprofit research centers, Federal government research agencies, facilities & programs, medical & allied health schools.
v.2--medical and health-related publications, libraries, and other information resources (journals & magazines, abstracting & indexing services, newsletters, directories, publishers, electronic resources, U.S. and Canadian libraries and information centers, internet search engines).
v.3--clinics, treatment centers, care programs, and counseling/diagnostic services.
The Merck manual of diagnosis and therapy.
Edited by Mark H. Beers and Robert Berkow. Whitehouse Station,
NJ, Merck. (17th ed., 1999)
RC55.M4 <SciRR>
URL: http://www.merck.com
The Web site has The Merck manual of diagnosis and
therapy(RC55.M4);
The Merck manual of health & aging (RA777.5.M47 2004 <SciRR>);
The Merck manual of geriatrics (RC952.55.M47 2000 <SciRR>); and
The Merck manual of medical information–home edition(RC81.M535 2003 <SciRR>).
TOP OF PAGE
DICTIONARIES, ABBREVIATIONS, SYNDROMES, EPONYMS
Bartolucci, Susan L., and Pat Forbis. Stedman’s
medical eponyms. Baltimore, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
(2nd ed., 2005)
R121.F67 <SciRR Dict>
Davis, Neil M. Medical abbreviations: 15,000
conveniences at the expense of communications and safety.
10th ed. Huntingdon Valley, PA, N.M. Davis Associates. (11th
ed., 2003)
R123.D35 <SciRR Dict>
24,000 current acronyms, symbols and other medical abbreviations
and their 22,000 possible meanings, plus a cross-referenced list of 3,300 generic
and brand drug names. Lists dangerous abbreviations which may be misinterpreted
and a section on normal lab values.
Dictionary of medical acronyms & abbreviations. Compiled and edited by
Stanley Jablonski. Philadelphia, Elsevier Saunders. (5th ed., 2004)
R123.J24 <SciRR Dict>
Dorland's illustrated medical dictionary.
Philadelphia, Saunders. (30th ed., 2003)
R121.D73 <SciRR Desk>
Lagua, Rosalinda T., and Virginia S. Claudio.
Nutrition and diet therapy reference dictionary. 5th ed. Ames,
IA, Blackwell Pub., c2004. 407 p.
RM217.L34 2004 <SciRR Dict>
Mosby’s dictionary of complementary and alternative medicine. Edited
by Wayne B. Jonas. St. Louis, Mosby, c2005. 519 p.
R733.M678 2005 <SciRR Dict>
Mosby's medical, nursing, and allied health
dictionary. Edited by Douglas M. Anderson, and others.
St. Louis, Mosby. (6th ed., 2002)
R121.M89 <SciRR Dict>
Taber's cyclopedic medical dictionary.
Philadelphia, F. A. Davis Co. Quadrennial. (20th ed., 2005)
R121.T18 <SciRR Dict>
Tsur, Samuel A. Elsevier’s dictionary of abbreviations,
acronyms, synonyms, and symbols used in medicine. Amsterdam, San Diego,
Elsevier. (2nd enl. ed, 2004)
R121.T787 <SciRR Dict>
Winter, Ruth. A consumer's dictionary of
food additives. 5th ed. New York, Three Rivers Press.
(revised and updated 6th ed., 2004)
TX553.A3 W55 <SciRR Dict>
TOP OF PAGE
MEDICAL TESTS AND EXAMINATIONS, DEALING WITH DOCTORS
Fischbach, Frances Talaska, and Marshall Barrett
Dunning. A manual of laboratory and diagnostic tests. Philadelphia,
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. (7th ed., 2004)
RB38.2.F57 <SciRR>
Mosby's guide to physical examination.
Edited by Henry M. Seidel, and others. St. Louis, Mosby. (5th
ed., 2003)
RC76.M63 <SciRR>
Professional guide to diagnostic tests. Philadelphia,
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, c2005. 1106 p.
RB37.P735 2005 <SciRR>
Rosenfeld, Isadore. Power to the patient: the
treatments to insist on when you're sick. New York, Warner
Books, c2002. 448 p.
RC81.R829 2002 <SciRR>
TOP OF PAGE
INFORMATION ON DRUGS
AHFS drug information current developments.
Bethesda, MD., American Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Inc. Annual,
with quarterly supplements. (2005)
RS131.2.A47 <SciRR>
Complete guide to prescription & nonprescription
drugs. New York, Berkley Publishing Group. Annual. (2005)
RM301.15.C65 <SciRR>
Conn's current therapy. Edited by Robert
E. Rakel, M.D. and Edward T. Bope, M.D. Philadelphia, Elsevier Saunders.
Annual. (2005)
RM101.C87 <SciRR>
Consumer drug reference. Yonkers,
N.Y., Consumer Reports, Consumers Union/Thomas MICROMEDEX and the U.S.
Pharmacopeia. Annual. (2004 ed.)
RS51.U65 <SciRR Desk>
Drug interaction facts. Edited
by David Tatro. St. Louis, Facts & Comparisons, Walters Kluwer
Health. Annual. (2005)
RM302.D76 <SciRR>
The Johns Hopkins consumer guide to
drugs.
Medical editor, Simeon Margolis, M.D. Prepared by the editors of
the Johns Hopkins medical letter: health after 50. Redding, CT,
Medletter Associates. (2005)
RM301.12.J636 <MRR>
Features information for older consumers.
Physician's desk reference: PDR.
Montvale, NJ, Thomson PDR. Annual. (59th ed., 2005)
RS75.P5 <SciRR Desk>
See also:
PDR companion guide (to
drug interactions, side effects, indications, contraindications).
Annual. (58th ed., 2004)
RS75.P37 <SciRR Desk>
PDR for nonprescription
drugs and dietary supplements. Annual. (25th ed., 2004)
RM671.A1P48 <SciRR Desk>
PDR for herbal medicines. Irregular. (3rd ed.,
2004)
RS164.P375 <SciRR Desk>
The Pill book. Harold M. Silverman, editor-in-chief. New York, Bantam Dell.
(11th ed., 2004)
RS51.P55 <SciRR>
The United States pharmacopeia.
Rockville, MD, United States Pharmacopeial Convention, Inc. Quinquennial.
(27th revision, 2004, includes National Formulary,
22nd ed. and supplements)
RS141.2.P5 <SciRR Desk>
USP dictionary of USAN and international
drug names. Rockville, MD, United States Pharmacopeial
Convention, Inc. Annual.
RS55.U54 <SciRR Desk>
TOP OF PAGE
COMPLEMENTARY & ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE,
WELLNESS, NUTRITION
Fontaine, Karen Lee, and Bill Kaszubski. Absolute
beginner’s guide to alternative medicine. Indianapolis, IN,
Que, c2004. 365 p.
R733.F66 2004 <SciRR>
American Herbal Products Association's botanical
safety handbook. Edited by Michael McGuffin. Boca Raton,
Fla., CRC Press, c1997. 231 p.
RA1250.A44 1997 <SciRR>
Anspaugh, David J., Michael H. Hemrich, and Frank
D. Rosato. Wellness: concepts
and applications.
4th ed. Boston, McGraw-Hill. (6th ed., 2006)
RA776.A57 <SciRR>
Cataldo, Corinne Balog, Linda Kelly DeBruyne and
Eleanor Noss Whitney. Nutrition and
diet therapy: principles and practice. Belmont,
CA, Thomson/Wadsworth. (6th ed., 2003)
RM216.C36 <SciRR>
The Complete German Commission E monographs:
therapeutic guide to herbal medicines. Developed by
a special expert committee of the German Federal Institute for
Drugs and
Medical Devices; senior editor, Mark Blumenthal. Austin, TX.,
American Botanical Council; Boston, Integrative Medicine Communications,
1998. 685 p.
RM666.H33 C67 1998 <SciRR>
D'Amelio, Frank S. Botanicals: a phytocosmetic
desk reference. Boca Raton, FL, CRC Press, c1999. 361
p.
RS164.D274 1999 <SciRR>
Donatelle, Rebecca J. Access to health.
. San Francisco, Pearson/Benjamin Cummings. (9th ed., 2006)
RA776.D66 <SciRR>
Also by Donatelle: Health: the basics. (6th
ed., 2005) RA776.D663
Ebadi, Manuchair S. Pharmacodynamic basis of herbal
medicine. Boca Raton, FL, CRC Press, c2002. 726 p.
RM666.H33E23 2002 <SciRR>
Encyclopedia of human nutrition.
Edited by Benjamin Caballero, and others. San Diego, Academic
Press. 4 v. (2nd ed., 2005)
QP141.E526 <SciRR>
Foster, Steven, , and Varro E. Tyler. Tyler's
honest herbal: a sensible guide to the use of herbs and related
remedies.
4th ed. New York, Haworth Herbal Press, c1999. 442 p.
RM666.H33T94 1999 <SciRR>
Griffith, H. Winter. Vitamins, herbs, minerals & supplements:
the complete guide. Rev. ed. Tucson, Ariz., Fisher Books,
c1998. 504 p.
QP771.G75 1998 <SciRR>
Fugh-Berman, Adriane. The 5-minute herb and dietary supplement consult. Philadelphia,
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, c2003. 475 p.
RM666.H33F835 2003 <SciRR>
The Handbook of clinically tested herbal remedies. Edited by
Marilyn Barrett. New York, Haworth Herbal Press, c2004. 2 v.
RM666.H33H363 2004 <SciRR>
Harkness, Richard, and Steven Bratman. Drug-herb-vitamin
interactions bible: from A-Z, know the dangers and benefits of
combining drugs,
herbs, and vitamins. Roseville, CA, Prima, c2000. 430 p.
RM302.H3675 2000 <SciRR>
Natural medicines comprehensive database. Edited
by Jeff M. Jellin, and others. Compiled by the editors of Pharmacist’s
letter, Prescriber’s letter. Stockton, CA, Therapeutic Research
Faculty. (6th ed., 2004)
RM258.5.N38 <SciRR>
URL: http://www.naturaldatabase.com
Safety ratings, drug & natural medicines interactions, drug influences on
nutrient levels & depletion.
Navarra, Tova. The encyclopedia of complementary and
alternative medicine. New York, Facts on File, c2004. 276 p.
R733.N38 2004 <SciRR>
Navarra, Tova. The encyclopedia of vitamins, minerals,
and supplements.
2nd ed. New York, Facts on File, c2004. 353 p.
QP771.E53 2004 <SciRR>
Peirce, Andrea. The American Pharmaceutical
Association practical guide to natural medicines. New York,
Morrow, c1999. 728 p.
RM666.H33 P45 1999 <SciRR>
Professional’s handbook of complementary and alternative medicines. Springhouse, PA, Springhouse Corporation. (2nd ed., 2004)
RM666.H33P765 <SciRR>
Robbers, James E., and Varro E. Tyler. Tyler's herbs of choice:
the therapeutic use of phytomedicinals. New York, Haworth
Herbal Press, c1999. 287 p.
RM666.H33 R6 1999 <SciRR>
Skidmore-Roth, Linda. Mosby’s handbook
of herbs & natural supplements. St. Louis, Mosby. (2nd ed.,
2004)
RM666.H33 S575 <SciRR>
Swartzberg, John Edward, and Sheldon Margen. The complete
home wellness handbook: home remedies, prevention, self-care. With the
editors of the UC Berkeley wellness letter. New York, Rebus, c2001.
672 p.
RC81.S9685 2001 <SciRR>
Whitney, Eleanor Noss, and Sharon Rady Rolfes.Understanding
nutrition.
Belmont, CA, Thomson/Wadsworth. (10th ed., 2005).
QP141.W46 <SciRR>
TOP OF PAGE
HOSPITALS, HMOs, NURSING
HOMES
AHA guide to the health care field.
Chicago, American Hospital Association. Annual. (2005)
RA977.A1A46 <SciRR Desk>
URL: http://www.aha.org
America's best hospitals.
U.S. News & World Report issues an annual
guide to America's best hospitals, usually in the July issue of the magazine
(see HOSPITALS vertical
file in SciRR for current guide) You can also find this information on their
Web site: http://www.usnews.com (click on
"health" and go to best hospitals).
The Directory of hospital personnel.
Millerton, NY, Grey House Pub. Annual. (6th ed., 2004)
RA977.D4718 <SciRR Desk>
Profiles of U.S. hospitals, plus key decision makers.
Directory of nursing homes. Baltimore,
HCIA Inc. Annual. (2001)
RA997.A2D49 <SciRR>
Hospital blue book. Atlanta Billian
Pub. Annual. (2003)
RA981.A2H56 <SciRR Desk>
URL: http://www.billianshealthdata.com
Hospitals, healthcare systems, medical schools.
HMO/PPO directory. Millerton,
NY, Grey House Pub. Annual. (16th ed., 2004)
RA413.5.U5H586 <SciRR Desk>
Profiles of U.S. managed healthcare organizations & key decision makers.
The Johns Hopkins medical handbook: the
100 major medical disorders of people over the age of 50: plus
a
directory to the leading teaching hospitals, research organizations,
treatment centers, and support groups. Medical editor,
Simeon Margolis. New York, Rebus, 1999. 652 p.
RC952.55.J64 1999 <SciRR>
Although the information is dated, a useful section is “teaching hospitals.” These hospitals are listed by state & city with their teaching specialties and also listed by disorder.
Sherer, David, and Maryann Karinch. Dr.
David Sherer’s hospital survival guide: 100+ ways to make your
hospital stay safe and comfortable. Washington, Claren Books, c2003.
309 p.
RA965.6.S53 2003 <SciRR>
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MAGAZINES, NEWSLETTERS
Consumer reports on health. Current issues
only <N&CPR>
URL: http://www.consumerreports.org/main/crh/home.jsp
FDA consumer. HD9000.9.U5A1735 <SciRR>
URL: http://www.fda.gov/fdac
Harvard health letter. RC81.A1H35 <SciRR>
URL: http://www.health.harvard.edu (for all Harvard health newsletters)
Harvard men’s health watch. Current issues
only <N&CPR>
Harvard women's health watch. Current issues
only <N&CPR>
Health. (San Francisco) RA773.H254 <SciRR-UCR>
URL: http://www.health.com
Health News. <SciRR-UCR>
URL: http://www.healthnewswebsite.com
HerbalGram. (Herb Research Foundation; American
Botanical Council) RS164.H375 <SciRR>
URL: http://www.herbalgram.org
Johns Hopkins medical letter: health after 50. <SciRR-UCR>
URL: http://www.hopkinsafter50.com
Nutrition action health letter. (Center
for Science in the Public Interest) <SciRR>
URL: http://www.cspinet.org
Prevention magazine. RA421.P68 <SciRR>
URL: http://www.prevention.com
Tufts University health & nutrition letter. <SciRR-UCR>
URL: http://healthletter.tufts.edu
University of California, Berkeley, wellness
letter. <SciRR-UCR>
URL: http://berkeleywellness.com
TOP OF PAGE
GUIDES TO NAVIGATING THE INTERNET
eMedguides. Princeton, NJ, Thomson PDR. Updated
frequently.
URL: http://www.emedguides.com
Online and print Internet directories in medicine. Web site has free content
from specialty guides and patient guides on single medical topics.
The Medical Library Association encyclopedic guide to
searching and finding health information on the Web. Edited by P. F. Anderson
and Nancy J. Allee. New York, Neal-Schumann Publishers, c2004.
3 v.
R859.7.I58M436 2004 <SciRR computer shelf>
 v.1--search strategies/quick reference guide.
 v.2--diseases & disorders/mental health & mental disorders
 v.3--health & wellness/life stages & reproduction/cumulative index
TOP OF PAGE
SELECTED WEB SITES
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
GATEWAYS TO GOVERNMENT INFORMATION
Consumer Gateway
URL:http://www.consumer.gov
This is a one-stop link to a multitude of federal information
resources online. For health topics, choose the health category on the
Web site banner.
FedStats
URL: http://www.fedstats.gov
FedStats is the gateway to statistics and information
produced by over 100 agencies in the federal government, as well as state,
county and local area data. The site can be searched by specific terms
with the A-Z list or agencies by subject area or agency name. Budget documents,
working papers and Federal Register notices are also available.
USAGov.gov
URL: http://www.usa.gov
The U. S. Government’s official Web portal. In the “information by
topic” section, click on health and nutrition.
Health.gov
URL: http://www.health.gov
A portal to the Web sites of a number of multi-agency health initiatives and
activities of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services and other federal
departments and agencies.
National Food Safety Initiative
URL: http://www.foodsafety.gov
Gateway to U. S. Government food safety information.
Recalls.gov
URL: http://www.recalls.gov
This Web site leads to all federal recalls, including consumer products, food,
medicines, cosmetics and environmental products. Reporting agencies include
the Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department
of Agriculture and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Science.gov
URL: http://www.science.gov
Search 17 U. S. Government science organizations within 12 federal agencies.
Click on health and medicine or agriculture and food.
AGENCY WEB SITES
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Nutrition.gov
URL: http://www.nutrition.gov
This consumer Web site aims to help users “eat smart.” It links to
MyPyramid.gov (http://www.mypyramid.gov) where individuals can find help choosing
nutritious foods based on the food guide pyramid.
Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC)
URL: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic
FNIC is one of several information centers at the National Agricultural Library. Among the features of this Web site are an A-Z list of food and nutrition topics, food safety, dietary supplements, food composition, dietary guidelines, the food guide pyramid, and various reports and studies.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
HHS Home
URL: http://www.hhs.gov
This site has an incredible collection of information: diseases and conditions;
safety and wellness; drug and food; disasters and emergencies; grants and funding;
families and children; aging; specific populations (men, women, children, seniors,
disabled, racial and ethnic minorities, homeless); resource locators for healthcare
providers and healthcare facilities; policies and regulations; and reference
collections (dictionaries, databases, publications, statistics and reports).
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
URL: http://www.ahcpr.gov
The mission of the AHRQ is to improve the quality, efficiency, safety and effectiveness
of health care for all Americans. Of interest is the section for consumers
and patients, which has information on health plans, health insurance and on
quality of care.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
URL: http://www.cdc.gov
The CDC home page links to current topics, travelers’ health information,
vaccines and immunization information, an alphabetical health topic index,
publications list, state and national data and statistics, and more. Direct
access to a variety of CDC reports, guidelines and other data is available
at http://wonder.cdc.gov
Other CDC Web sites:
National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)
URL: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs
NCHS is responsible for the collection, analyses, and dissemination of health
statistics. An index of subjects, FASTATS A-Z, gives the researcher the latest
statistics and links to comprehensive reports.
The CDC National Prevention Information Network (NPIN)
URL: http://www.cdcnpin.org
Telephone: 1-800-458-5231 (M-F, 9a.m.-8p.m. ET)
NPIN provides information on HIV, STD and TB prevention.
healthfinder
URL: http://www.healthfinder.gov
In 1997 HHS launched this user-friendly, consumer-oriented Web site.
Medicare
http://www.medicare.gov
Telephone: 1-800-Medicare
Provided by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services
(CMS). In addition to general information on Medicare and benefits, there
is a Nursing Home Database (“Nursing Home Compare”) listing
every Medicare and Medicaid certified nursing home. A new feature is the
beneficiary portal for personal information: http://my.medicare.gov
National Health Information Center (NHIC)
URL: http://www.health.gov/nhic
The NHIC was established by HHS in 1979 by the Office of Disease Prevention and
Health Promotion (http://odphp.osophs.dhhs.gov) as a health information referral
system. The Web site provides a list of the Federal Health Information Centers
and Clearinghouses, a list of the annual National Health Observances, the current
Toll-Free Numbers for Health Information, many publications, and a Health Information
Resource Database.
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
http://www.nih.gov
NIH is one of the eight agencies of the U.S. Dept. of
Health and Human Services. It consists of 27 separate institutes and centers.
To access
any of these off the home page, click on "institutes" and choose from
the list for a direct link. Choose "health information" on the home page
for links to Health Topics A-Z, body systems, conditions and diseases,
and quick links to information on the health of children, men, women,
seniors and minorities..
Among the NIH centers of interest to consumers is:
National Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine (NCCAM).
http://nccam.nih.gov
Telephone: 1-888-644-6226
The NCCAM Clearinghouse responds to inquiries and distributes publications.
National Library of Medicine (NLM)
URL: http://www.nlm.nih.gov
A wealth of information is offered by NLM, the world's
largest medical library and a part of the National Institutes of Health.
MEDLINE, its database of
references and abstracts, is available as PubMed on this Web site. This
is also the site for NLM's online catalog and many other medical databases. There
is a link to the extensive list of databases on the home page. Among the
databases are:
MedlinePlus
URL: http://medlineplus.gov
NLM created MedlinePlus to help consumers more easily access health information
(it is also available in Spanish). MedlinePlus provides extensive information
on diseases, conditions, and wellness issues and has a dictionary, drug information,
and directories to find doctors, dentists and hospitals.
ClinicalTrials.gov
URL: http://clinicaltrials.gov
ClinicalTrials.gov provides regularly updated information about federally and
privately supported clinical research in human volunteers. It states the trial’s
purpose, who may participate, locations, and phone numbers for more details.
This information should be used in conjunction with advice from health care
professionals. There is also general information about clinical trials.
See also: NIH clinical alerts and advisories
URL: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/databases/alerts/clinical_alerts.html
NLM provides these alerts to expedite release of findings from the NIH-funded
clinical trials where the release could significantly affect morbidity and
mortality.
See also: ClinicalStudyResults.org
URL: http://www.clinicalstudyresults.org
This is a central, Web-based repository for clinical study results in a reader-
friendly, standardized format. The information is provided in the interest
of full scientific disclosure of clinical study results for U.S. marketed pharmaceuticals
and is for informational purposes only.
Household Products Database
URL: http://hpd.nlm.nih.gov
Health and safety information on household products, including Material Safety
Data Sheets prepared by manufacturers.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
URL: http://www.fda.gov
The FDA regulates food, drugs, medical devices, biologics, animal feed
and drugs, cosmetics, and radiation-emitting products. The site has information
on recalls and product safety, FDA activities, laws and regulations, and
current news. There is an A-Z index for searching.
The Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN)
URL: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov
CFSAN is
one of six centers within the FDA. It deals with cosmetics, food
labeling, plant and dairy foods and beverages, seafood, and special
nutritionals, such as dietary supplements and infant formula.
NON-GOVERNMENT
Alternative Medicine Foundation
URL: http://www.amfoundation.org
The Alternative Medicine Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded in 1998
to provide responsible and reliable information about alternative medicine to
the public and health professionals. The Foundation has a fee-based “AskMed” service.
The Alternative Medicine Homepage
URL: http://www.pitt.edu/~cbw/altm.html
For over a decade Charles B. Wessel, a medical librarian at the Falk Library of Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, has been responsible for this outstanding resource. The index to Internet resources and list of databases are extensive and comprehensive. There is a separate listing for HIV/AIDS information. The Web site now features a page on hospital and health systems which have CAM and integrative medicine.
American Association of Poison Control Centers
URL: http://www.aapcc.org
For poison emergencies: 1-800-222-1222
Along with a listing of poison control centers, the Web site has a rumors section
which deals with internet hoaxes and urban legends. There are links to relevant
Web sites on toxicology, chemicals and pharmacology.
American Hospital Association Resource Center--Consumer Health Information
URL: http://www.aha.org/aha/resource_center/jsp/consumerlinks.jsp
This is a really superb, comprehensive listing of information. It’s pretty
much “one-stop shopping” for everything you need to know. The topics
include finding health information; understanding the health care system; making
informed choices; locating a health care provider; preparing for your health
care experience; partnering for safe, high-quality health care; and getting
the support you need.
CenterWatch Clinical Trials Listing Service
URL: http://www.centerwatch.com
Centerwatch includes listings of active industry and
government-sponsored clinical trials, as well as new drug therapies in
research and those recently approved by the FDA.
DocFinder
URL: http://www.docboard.org
The information in this Web site is provided to the
public by Administrators in Medicine (AIM), a nonprofit organization whose
members are State Medical and Osteopathic Board executives. The database
contains licensing, background and disciplinary information on physicians
and other health care practitioners, with more detailed medical malpractice,
hospital discipline and criminal conviction information from participating
state medical boards.
Drugs.com
URL: http://www.drugs.com
This site has information on prescription and OTC drugs
sold in the U.S. and is updated daily. It also includes a listing of pharmaceutical
manufacturers with addresses and telephone numbers and a health encyclopedia
that includes medical tests and surgeries with illustrations.
eMedguides.com
URL: http://www.emedguides.com
eMedguides has been previously mentioned, but special attention is directed to
the listings on the home page under General Medicine Guide: reference. The list
offers an incredible wealth of different types of health and medical information,
including online medical books and journal articles.
eMedicine Consumer Health
URL: http://www.emedicinehealth.com
The parent company, eMedicine, has the largest and most current Clinical Knowledge
Base available to physicians and other healthcare professionals. In 2003 it
launched a consumer health Web site. Articles on the site are written by physicians
and then reviewed by other physicians before publication.
Familydoctor.org
URL: http://familydoctor.org
This health information Web site is from the American Academy of Family Physicians.
It features a “smart patient guide” on managing health care, understanding
health insurance and dealing with end-of-life issues.
Health Boards.com
URL: http://www.healthboards.com
This Web site was conceived to make it easier to connect people dealing with
the same medical condition. It features message boards offering support on over
140 diseases, conditions and topics. Detailed information on health topics is
provided through a partnership with WebMD.
Intelihealth
URL: http://www.intelihealth.com
InteliHealth is a subsidiary of Aetna. Its information
sources include Harvard Medical School and the Columbia University School
of Dental and Oral Surgery. A special feature is the section on dental
health. Other features are daily health news and “Harvard Commentaries” in
which Harvard Medical School experts write on health topics
Internet Public Library
URL: http://www.ipl.org
This Web site, maintained by the University of Michigan School of Information,
has celebrated its tenth year. It has much more than basic consumer information
and links to a large number of useful Web sites. Under “subject collections” on
the home page, choose health. There is an “Ask a Question” service
and a list of frequently asked reference questions
Kaiser Family Foundation
URL: http://www.kff.org
The Kaiser Family Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation focusing on the
major health care issues facing the nation. Through its web sites you will find
many reports, polls and statistics.
See also: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/; http://www.kaiserEDU.org/;
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/; and http://www.globalhealthreporting.org/
KidsHealth
URL: http://www.kidshealth.org
KidsHealth was created by the Nemours Foundation and received an excellent
rating by Consumer Reports in its September 2005 issue. The Web site has separate
sections for parents, kids and teens.
Lab Tests Online
URL: http://www.labtestsonline.org
Lab Tests Online is organized by the American Association for Clinical Chemistry
(AACC) and is a collaboration among professional societies representing the
clinical laboratory community. All the information a patient or caregiver needs
to understand clinical lab tests is available here
MayoClinic.com
URL: http://www.mayoclinic.com
This is Mayo Clinic’s consumer site with information
on diseases, conditions and treatment options, drugs, first aid, a healthy
living centers feature and a free weekly email newsletter.
MEDEM
URL: http://www.medem.com
The Web site was created by the American Medical Association in partnership with
six of the nation’s medical societies. Many more societies, which are listed
on the Web site, now participate in bringing health information to consumers.
A special feature is a secure site to create an online health record.
National Council Against Health Fraud (NCAHF)
URL: http://www.ncahf.org
NCAHF is a consumer organization dealing with health
misinformation, fraud and quackery.There are links to its allied Web sites,
such as Quackwatch, a guide to quackery and fraud run by Stephen Barrett,
M.D. at: http://www.quackwatch.org and Barrett’s Diet Scam Watch at: http://www.dietscam.org
National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC)
URL: http://www.naric.com
NARIC provides a gateway to disability and rehabilitation-oriented information.
Their largest database is Rehabdata from the National Institute on Disability
and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), U.S. Department of Education. Information
brochures prepared by NARIC librarians on special topics are available for download,
and there is also live online help. The NIDRR also provides disability information
on its ABLEDATA Web site at: http://www.abledata.com
Patient Advocate Foundation
URL: http://www.patientadvocate.org
Patient Advocate Foundation is a national nonprofit organization that seeks
to safeguard patients through effective mediation assuring access to care,
maintenance of employment and preservation of their financial stability. Foundation
caseworkers help patients find local, state and federal programs that provide
assistance for their individual needs.
Rxlist--The Internet Drug Index
URL: http://www.rxlist.com
Rxlist provides drug information for both consumers and professionals. It has
an advanced search engine which allows searching by drug name, keyword, ID
imprint code or NDC. Taber’s Medical Encyclopedia is available on the
Web site.
Shape Up America!
URL: http://www.shapeup.org
Shape Up America! is a nonprofit organization committed to raising awareness of obesity as a health issue. It was founded by former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, M.D. The site has fitness and nutrition information, a support center to help users stay motivated, and information on the U.S. Government’s 10,000 steps program.
Virtual Hospital
URL: http://www.uihealthcare.com/topics/index.html
Virtual Hospital was a popular digital health sciences library created in 1992
at the University of Iowa. It ceased in January 2006 due to lack in funding,
but the patient education content is still available from University of Iowa
Health Care at the above URL. There is also an archive of consumer health reports,
health care news by medical specialty, and "Well & Good", a health
and wellness resource for consumers.
WebMD
URL: http://my.webmd.com
A popular site featuring news, information on drugs and
herbs, diseases and conditions, and health and wellness. There is a special
program to check symptoms, information on medical tests, and a service
to locate a physician and make an appointment. Another Web site from WebMD
is Medscape: http://www.medscape.com, which provides free access to selected
journal contents and medical specialty sites after free registration.
HEALTH INFORMATION SEARCH AND META-DIRECTORIES
Google Directory--Health
URL: http://www.google.com/Top/Health/
An alphabetical listing of topics, including search engines.
Hardin MD (Hardin Meta Directory of Internet Health Sources)
URL: http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/hardin/md/index.html
Hardin MD was launched at the University of Iowa in 1996 as a source for finding
the best directories of information in health and medicine on the Internet.
In recent years, direct links to primary information and to images have been
added. The Web site has a list of “comprehensive health and medical index
sites” and those that are found to be consistently outstanding are given
the “Hardin MD Clean Bill of Health” award.
HealthWeb
URL: http://www.healthweb.org
HealthWeb is a collaborative project of the health sciences libraries of the
Greater Midwest Region (GMR) of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine
(NN/LM) and those of the Committee for Institutional Cooperation (CIC), and
is supported by the National Library of Medicine. Among the user guides on
the Web site is Document Delivery (how to obtain journal articles): http://healthweb.org/guides/docdeliv.cfm/.
There are links to the Web sites of Biomed Central, Highwire Press, Free Medical
Journals, and the Directory of Open Access Journals, all of which offer access
to full-text scholarly publications at no cost.
INASP (International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications)
URL: http://www.inasp.info/health/links/contents.shtml
INASP is a cooperative network of partners established in 1992 to enhance the
flow of scientific and scholarly information within and between countries,
especially those with less developed systems of publication and dissemination.
INASP Health Links is a gateway to more than 600 selected Web sites for health
professionals and others. Among the resources featured are health news, image
collections, full-text materials, dictionaries and conference listings.
MedHunt
URL: http://www.hon.ch/MedHunt
This search engine from Health on the Net Foundation can search either the
medical Web sites approved by HON or all medical Web sites.
MedWeb
URL: http://www.medweb.emory.edu
MedWeb is a catalog of biomedical and health-related Web sites maintained by
the staff of the Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center Library at Emory
University. Its primary audience is the academic and research community at
Emory, but it is also a useful site for consumers.
OMNI
URL: http://omni.ac.uk
OMNI (Organising Medical Networked Information) is a gateway to evaluated,
quality Internet resources in health and medicine. It is created and maintained
by a team of information specialists at the University of Nottingham Greenfield
Medical Library in the United Kingdom.
YAHOO! Health Directory
URL: http://dir.yahoo.com/Health
Choose from an alphabetical list of categories.
RESOURCES FOR ONLINE BOOKS, JOURNALS AND ARTICLES
BioMed Central
URL: http://www.biomedcentral.com
BioMed Central is an open access publisher. Original research articles are freely
accessible immediately upon publication. There are also links to biomedical databases
on the Web. Some other products and services available require a subscription.
Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)
URL: http://www.doaj.org
The Directory aims to cover all open access scientific and scholarly journals
that use a quality control system to guarantee the content (peer review or editorial
quality control). It is coordinated by Lund University Libraries in Sweden.
FreeBooks4Doctors!
URL: http://www.freebooks4doctors.com
FreeMedicalJournals.com
URL: http://www.freemedicaljournals.com
Both Web sites are products of Flying Publisher, a company which promotes free
access to medical information.
HighWire Press
URL: http://highwire.stanford.edu
HighWire Press is a division of the Stanford University Libraries which produces
the online versions of high-impact, peer-reviewed journals and other scholarly
content. It hosts the largest repository of free, full-text life sciences articles
in the world.
LookSmart Find Articles
URL: http://www.findarticles.com
Search millions of articles from leading academic, industry and general interest
publishers.
MedBioWorld
URL: http://www.medbioworld.com
MedBioWorld is the Internet’s largest medical and bioscience information
resource and reference site, providing access to journals, associations, and
databases. Special features of MedBioWorld are its links to Web sites of document
delivery services and to suppliers of online medical, anatomical and biological
images and illustrations.
MedicalStudent.com
URL: http://www.medicalstudent.com
MedicalStudent.com is a digital library of authoritative medical information
for medical students, but is also very useful to consumers. The Web site includes
hundreds of textbooks, as well as medical journals, consumer health information
and links to medical organizations.
National Academies Press (National Academies of Science)
URL: http://www.nap.edu
Hundreds of books and reports can be downloaded free from NAP.
See also: Institute of Medicine of the National Academies
URL: http://www.iom.edu
Click on “reports” for a full list of reports from the IOM.
NCBI Bookshelf
URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=Books
The National Center for Biotechnology Information Bookshelf is a growing collection
of online biomedical books and is one of the databases at NLM/NIH. It can also
be accessed through the NLM Web site.
The Online Books Page
URL: http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu
The Online Books Page was founded, and is edited, by John Mark Ockerbloom,
who is a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. The University Library
hosts the Web site. The purpose of the Web site is to facilitate access to
books that are freely readable over the Internet. There is an index to thousands
of books, pointers to directories and archives of online texts, and special
exhibits of particularly interesting classes of online books.
PLoS Medicine
URL: http://medicine.plosjournals.org
PLoS Medicine is a peer-reviewed, open access journal published by the nonprofit
organization Public Library of Science (PLoS).
PubMed Central
URL: http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov
As mentioned in the introduction to this guide, PubMed Central is a digital
archive of life sciences journal literatures at NIH and is managed by NIH’s
National Center for Biotechnology Information in the National Library of Medicine.
Compiled by Stephanie Marcus
Updated September 2005 |