Subject Guide for Consumer Health
Contents
- Introduction
- Dictionaries/Encyclopedias
- Finding books
- Finding articles
- Web resources
- Other useful subject guides
Introduction
Consumer oriented health information is found in medicine, nursing, education, psychology and other literature. Many high quality web sites have been developed by state and federal agencies and by prominent organizations, e.g. the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health; these sites are a good starting point for consumer health information.
General medical dictionaries and encyclopedias may also be used to gather general information about a disease or condition. More in-depth or very specific information about a condition also will be found in clinical medicine books and/or by searching Medline (PubMed), the biomedical database produced by the NLM/NIH.
Dictionaries/Encyclopedias
- Encyclopedia of family health (18 vols.)
Location: RC81.A2 E5 2005 REF - American Medical Association family medical guide
Location: RC81 .A543 2004 REF - The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine; J. L. Longe, ed.; 5 vol.
Location: RC41. G35 2006 REF (also available online via the PAC) - The Gale encyclopedia of nursing & allied health; K. Krapp, ed.; 5 vol.
Location: RT21 .G353 2002 REF (also available online via the PAC) - Encyclopedia of women's health; S. Loue and M. Sajatovic, eds
Location: RA778 .E5825 2004 REF - The encyclopedia of men's health; G. S. Rothfeld and D. S. Romaine, eds.
Location: RA777.8 .R68 2005 5th floor books - The encyclopedia of nutrition and good health; R. Ronzio, ed.
Location: RA784 .R646 2003 REF - Consumer Health Information Sourcebook; A. Rees, ed
Location: RA776 .R43 2003 REF
Finding books
Look for books with consumer oriented health information in the PAC (SDSU Library online catalog), using the following LC Subject headings:
- Medicine, popular
- Diagnosis, popular works
- Drugs
- Alternative medicine
- Self Care Health
- Self examination, medical
Or, try a specific topic followed by popular works, e.g. Cancer - popular works or Parkinson's Disease - popular works.
If you are looking for a specific topic and are finding nothing using "LC Subject" headings, try the "Words" search option. Keep in mind, you might need to look at more general books in order to find information, e.g. information on "normal pressure hydrocephalus" may be found in a book on neurology or senior health.
Finding articles
Use article indexes/databases to identify scholarly periodical or journal articles on a specific subject. The following databases databases provide information both for health providers and health consumers, depending on the level of information desired. These databases, with the exception of PubMed, are available for SDSU faculty, staff, and students (off-campus); all users (in the Library).
Medline
(PubMed version - unrestricted access)
An index, with abstracts, to journal articles in medicine, nursing, dentistry and the allied health fields.
Research database; geared toward healthcare providers. 1966 to the present.
CINAHL- Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature
Indexes articles in nursing, allied health and health sciences journals, books, book chapters,
dissertations and pamphlets. "Evidence Based Care Sheets" and "Quick Lessons" are also included for numberous topics. 1982 to the present.
PsycInfo
Index containing references and summaries of the world's periodical and book literature in psychology and related disciplines.
1887 to the present.
Go to the Article Databases for a complete list of databases that the library subscribes to.
Top of pageWeb resources
Government Sponsored
MedlinePlus
This site, maintained by the National Library of Medicine,
provides information (in English and in Spanish) for patients and families, including:
- Over 700 health topics on conditions, diseases and wellness;
- Over 165 interactive health education videos that use animated graphics to explain a procedure or condition in easy-to-read language;
- Drug information;
- Clinical Trials information;
- Medical encyclopedia with pictures and diagrams;
- Medical dictionary;
- Current health news and press announcements;
- Directories for doctors, dentists, and hospitals.
This site links to MedlinePlus (above) and also to the following:
- Tox Town - An interactive guide to commonly encountered toxic chemicals, your health, and the environment.
- Household Products Database - Health & Safety Information on Household Products
- Genetics Home Reference - Genetic conditions and treatment options
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Links to health information for child and teen, men, women, senior, minorities, etc.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Excellent tips on becoming an active and informed health care consumer, preventing medical errors, and more.
FDA News
The latest news, product approvals, and FDA Consumer magazine.
National Cancer Institute
A premier site for information on all types of cancer and treatments, clinical trials, and more.
The National Women's Health Information Center
Topics on women's and girl's health in English and Spanish.
Federal Drug Administration
Drug safety information specifically for consumers. Includes FDA alerts, special warnings, side effects, and regulatory history of a drug.
Genetics Home Reference
Consumer-friendly information about the effects of genetic variations on human health.
Other Sites
Medical Library Association
User's Guide to Finding and Evaluating Health Information on the Web
Quackwatch: Your Guide to Health Fraud, Quackery, and Intelligent Decisions
"Quackwatch, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation whose purpose is to combat health-related frauds, myths, fads, and fallacies."
Evaluate the information you find as you would any other site.
WebMD Health
A wealth of information about diseases and conditions, as well as information on drugs and herbs and becoming a smarter consumer.
HealthWeb
A collaborative project of the health sciences libraries of the Greater Midwest Region (GMR) of the National Network
of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM).
The Body - the Complete HIV/SIDS Resource
Information in English and Spanish regarding basics and prevention, treatment, quality of life issues and myths.
NOAH (New York Online Access to Health)
High quality full-text consumer health information in English and Spanish.
Merck Manual of Medical Information - Home Edition
Based on the world's most widely used textbook of medicine, but written in everyday language.
PDRHealth
Disease overviews, drug information, clinical trials
Food and Drug Law Institute
FDLI is a nonprofit, educational organization. Its mission is to promote an understanding of the laws,
regulations, and policies affecting the public health aspects of foods, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices,
biological products, and veterinary medical products.
Center Watch - Clinical Trials Listing Service
Includes a wealth of information about clinical research, including listings of more than 41,000
active industry and government-sponsored clinical trials, as well as new drug therapies in
research and those recently approved by the FDA.
NeedyMeds
Provides information about patient assistance programs which provide no cost prescription medications to eligible participants.
Evaluating Health Information Web Sites
Look for the HON symbol indicating the resource has been approved by "Health on the Net Foundation", one of most
respected not-for-profit portals to medical information on the Internet.
SEE ABOVE - Medical Library Association's Guide for Finding and Evaluating Health Information on the Web
Other Useful Subject Guides
Subject Guide for Sexually Transmitted Diseases and HIV/AIDS
Subject Guide for Transcultural Health Care
Subject Guide for Effectively Reading Medical Literature
