Consumer Health
Librarian Recommended Reference Sites
Top Sites
MedlinePlus – National Library of Medicine. Provides reliable professional and patient information on organizations, clinical trials, dictionaries, and more in Spanish and other languages.
Healthfinder – U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. A gateway to reliable consumer health information, with links to online publications, clearinghouses, support groups, and more. Healthfinder Espanol provides the same information in Spanish.
National Institutes of Health: Health Information – Provides newsletters, information, and links to other websites.
Intelihealth – Collaborative project from Harvard Medical School, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, and Aetna Insurance. This searchable site contains current, high quality health information in the form of clearly written articles, quizzes, and self assessments. Its interactive tools were developed for clarity and ease of use.
USA.gov Health and Nutrition –This government site features an A-Z topic list.
Web Searching and Information Appraisal Tips
Good Health Information – The National Library of Medicine and the American Library Association want to show you how to find the information that will help you achieve good health.
Guide to Healthy Web Surfing from Medline Plus – Suggestions and tips to help you judge the quality of the health information you find online. Includes valuable pointers on how to protect your privacy.
ABIM Choosing Wisely – American Board of Internal Medicine list of five things patients should question.
Medicare
Medicare.gov – U.S. Government site for people with Medicare
NYS Department of Health – Additional updates about Medicare prescription drug plans, and other information.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services – Details how to receive Medicare or Medicaid Services.
Additional Resources
Cancer Information Service – From the National Cancer Institute (NCI), this site provides easy to understand information on all aspects of cancer. "The Cancer Information Service (CIS), a national information and education network, is a free public service of NCI." Readers will find recent news, factual information, additional web sites, and LiveHelp. Many pages are published in Spanish as well as English.
Genetics Home Reference – National Library of Medicine's web site for consumer information about genetic conditions and the genes responsible for those conditions. Currently offers summaries for 72 genetic conditions and 58 genes.
Heart Health – a focused set of heart health resources.
Household Products Database – National Library of Medicine’s Household Products Database (HPD) now links over 5,000 consumer brands to health effects from Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) provided by the manufacturers. HPD allows scientists and consumers to research products based on chemical ingredients.
NYS Office of Mental Health – Provides news, publications, reports, and resources on Mental Health. Resources are available for all ages in various formats.
NY Smokers Quitline – 8 6 6 - N Y Q U I T S or (866) 697-8487
WNY 2-1-1 – locate agencies that provide health related services to Western New Yorkers