Need Help?
Need research help and not sure where to turn? Get help from the library via email, chat, and online appointments or stop by one of our reference desks during open hours of operation.
Want to contact your Nursing & Health Sciences Librarian or set up a virtual or F2F appointment with her? Email Debra Smith: smithkak@cod.edu
Using Websites
ANYONE can put information on the Internet. As a patient, caregiver or health care consumer, you must carefully select and evaluate medical/health information before using it to treat yourself or someone for whom you care.
Check out this helpful article: “Find and Evaluate Health Information on the Web” from the Medical Library Association.
Use the evaluating sources section of this guide to help you determine the credibility of Web sites. A great final test is to ask yourself, "Would I want myself or someone that I care deeply about to be treated based on this information?"
Disclaimer
The College of DuPage and the C.O.D. Library do not create or control any of these resources, and they will not be held responsible for misuse of information or any adverse effects of recommendations stated in these resources.
Health Information should always be discussed with your health care provider, who can interpret it for you and apply it to your individual case.
Tips to Finding Information on the Internet
When searching via the Internet:
- Isolate key concepts and words to be searched, including word variations and synonyms. Be as specific as you can (for example search “prostate cancer treatment” instead of “cancer”)
- Determine the type of information needed (general or technical information? Information for an adult audience or children? Adolescents? Seniors?)
- Use a search engine like Google http://www.google.com/ or take advantage of established, pre-selected Internet collections like:
MedlinePlus.gov from the National Institutes of Health and the National Library of Medicine
MLA Top Health Websites from the Consumer and Patient Health Information Section of the MLA
General Medical Information Websites
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
CDC.gov provides users with credible, reliable health information on topics such as: data and statistics; diseases and conditions; emergencies and disasters; environmental health; healthy living; injury, violence and safety; life stages and populations; travelers' health; workplace safety and health; and much more. This site contains information appropriate for adults, teens and kids
MEDLINEplus
Provides access to 900+ health topics, medical encyclopedias and dictionaries, and links to self-help groups, clinical trials, preformulated PubMed searches, lists of hospitals and physicians, health and information in Spanish and other languages. Includes listings of diseases & conditions by body system.
MedScape Reference
An online clinical reference providing in-depth drug & disease information and tools to support clinical decision making. Content is designed for practicing medical professionals and includes diagnostic medical images. Free Registration to MedScape is required. To quickly locate information on a disease or condition, try Googling the word emedicine and your disease/condition (i.e. emedicine pertussis). Once you access the article, login for full content.
Kidshealth
Created by The Nemours Foundation's Center for Children's Health Media, this site offers families accurate, up-to-date, easy-to-understand health information. It has separate content areas for kids, teens, and parents written in an age-specific style
DuPage Community Resources
- 211 DuPageFormerly known as C.R.I.S., a fast and easy way to obtain basic information on social service programs throughout DuPage County [ Mozilla Firefox browser is recommended, Internet Explorer sometimes does not display correctly]
- DuPage County Health DepartmentPromotes physical and emotional health; prevents illness and disability; protects health from environmental risk factors; and strives to assure the provision of accessible, quality services. Web site topics include: asthma, depression, bioterrorism, consumer services, dental services, DuPage safe food site, environmental health services, mental health services and men's and women's health sites
- YWCA Metropolitan ChicagoServes the evolving needs of women and families through programs focused around Safety & Wellness, Education & Training, and Economic Sustainability
Diagnostic Medical Test Resources
- Harvard Medical School: Guide to Diagnostic Tests & Medical ProceduresFrom Harvard Medical School, information on more than 110 tests and procedures. Designed to remove anxiety and uncertainty, these concise reports explain the purpose, how to prep, how it's done, the risks, follow-up, and helpful outside links
- Merck Manual: Common Medical TestsProvides the normal test result ranges for blood tests as well as a chart of diagnostic procedures, body area tested and descriptions
- Testing.comFormerly LabTestsOnline.org, this site provides non-biased and thorough explanations of tests done at a lab as well as at home. Content is reviewed by experts from the clinical laboratory profession and other health professions
Diet & Nutrition Sites
Before going to the Web, have you tried these COD Library Databases? (use your COD Network credentials to access)
- CareNotes from Micromedex
CareNotes contains patient education documents providing easy-to-understand information about all aspects of care and health. These concise, customizable materials address patient conditions, treatments, diets, laboratory tests, follow-up care, psychosocial issues, continuing health, and the most frequently administered drugs.
- Gale eBooksThe Gale Encyclopedia of Diets is included in Gale eBooks--an excellent resource for diet and nutrition information!
Diet and Nutrition Websites
- Academy of Nutrition and DieteticsThe Academy is the nation's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. It serves the public by promoting optimal nutrition, health and well-being
- Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) fact sheetsProvides "a current overview of individual vitamins, minerals and other dietary supplements. ODS has fact sheets in two versions—Health Professional and Consumer. Both versions provide the same types of information but vary in the level of detail. Consumer [fact sheets] are now available in Spanish."
- Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC)Delivers credible, accurate, and practical resources for nutrition and health professionals, educators, government personnel, and consumers
- MedlinePlusSearch for nutrition-related health topics such as: calcium; child nutrition; cholesterol; dietary fats; dietary fiber; eating disorders; food labeling; infant and toddler nutrition; nutrition for seniors; nutritional support; obesity; vegetarianism; vitamins and minerals; weight loss and dieting; and food, nutrition and metabolism
- Nutrition.govA gateway to the U.S. government offices' information on nutrition, healthy eating, and physical activity
- USDA Choose My PlateOffers numerous food group-based nutrition education resources, including tip sheets, videos, food group quizzes, infographics, recipes and more. Includes audience-specific resources such as: activity sheets, games, videos, and songs for children; activities for families; healthy eating on a budget resources; and MiPlato tip sheets and resources for Spanish speakers
- USDA FoodData Central"FoodData Central is an integrated, research-focused data system that provides expanded data on nutrients and other foods components as well as links to sources of related agricultural, food, dietary supplement, and other information"
- World Health Organization (WHO): NutritionProvides information on the numerous nutrition activities supervised by WHO including: growth assessment and surveillance, nutrition in development and crisis, country-focused nutrition policies and programs, and reduction of micronutrient malnutrition
Drug & Pharmacy Resources
Before going to the Web, have you tried this COD Library Database? (use your COD Network credentials to access)
- Micromedex
Micromedex is an evidence-based, multi-database drug search engine that provides summary and in-depth information for drugs (both prescription and over-the-counter products), diseases, toxicology, and alternative medicine. Its clinical tools include IV compatibility, drug identification, drug interactions, drug comparisons, and clinical calculators.
If you are looking for information on the MobileMicromedex app, please click here.
Drug Websites
DailyMed
Maintained by the National Library of Medicine, this site provides high quality drug information including FDA approved labels (package inserts). It is designed to supply health information providers and the public with a standard, comprehensive, up-to-date, look-up and download resource of medication content and labeling as found in medication package inserts
Drugs.com
A drug information database for consumers and medical professionals, providing information about prescription and over-the-counter medications, treatment notes for specific diseases and conditions, and topical articles and news related to pharmaceuticals
MEDLINEplus National Library of Medicine
Information on thousands of prescription and over-the-counter medications provided through two drug resources -- MedMaster, a product of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), and the USP DI Advice for the Patient, a product of the United States Pharmacopeia (USP)
RxList - The Internet Drug Index
Contains a database of approximately 5,000 product names that is updated regularly including professional monographs derived from FDA approved labeling and patient-oriented monographs
SafeMedication.com
Easy-to-read information on more than 800 drugs sponsored by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)